The urinary excretion patterns of 86 chronic cannabis users were examined after their last cannabis use by two common screening methods, the semiquantitative EMIT-d.a.u. and the qualitative EMIT-st (Syva Company). We demonstrated that under very strictly supervised abstinence, chronic users can have positive results for cannabinoids in urine at 20 ng/ml or above on the EMIT-d.a.u. assay for as many as 46 consecutive days from admission, and can take as many as 77 days to drop below the cutoff calibrator for 10 consecutive days. For all subjects, the mean excretion time was 27 days. Subject excretion patterns were clearly biphasic, with initial higher rates of excretion not sustained. During the subsequent period of leveling off, most subjects had one or more separate sequences of cannabinoid-negative urine test results, lasting a mean of 3 days each and followed by at least one positive result. Demographic, body type, and drug history variables proved to be only moderate predictors of excretion patterns. Findings were discussed in the context of potential clinical and forensic application.

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Sixty-six patients participated in a double-blind, crossover study comparing side effects, drug use, clinic attendance, and dose changes on levomethadone and d,l (racemic) methadone. The hypothesis under examination was that dextromethadone, while adding no narcotic actions to the racemate, was contributing to side effects. An earlier single-blind pilot study showed that 9 out of 11 side effects improved while patients were receiving levomethadone, but this larger study did not duplicate those results. Analysis of 25 variables showed no significant between levo- and racemic methadone. There appears to be no advantage in levomethadone over racemic methadone in the treatment of patients in maintenance programs.

No abstract

Nine male heroin addicts maintained on L-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM) for about 5 mo had normal plasma levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone 72 hr after a dose of LAAM and also during 2 wk after abrupt LAAM withdrawal.