Pharmaceutical THC (Marinol) Showed No Evidence of Abuse, Diversion, or Street Market Demand
A comprehensive assessment found no evidence that prescription dronabinol (Marinol) was being abused, diverted, or sold on the street, with cannabis-dependent individuals showing no interest in the pharmaceutical form.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers investigated the abuse potential of dronabinol (Marinol), a prescription oral THC product, through literature review, surveys, and interviews with addiction specialists, oncologists, HIV researchers, and law enforcement.
The findings were consistently negative across all measures of abuse potential. No evidence of abuse or diversion was found. Prescription tracking showed patients stayed within therapeutic dose ranges over time. Healthcare professionals detected no "scrip-chasing" or "doctor-shopping." Cannabis-dependent populations showed no interest in abusing dronabinol.
The explanation was pharmacological: dronabinol has a slow, gradual onset of action, is at most weakly reinforcing, and most users described its effects as dysphoric and unappealing. There was no street market for dronabinol and no evidence of diversion for sale as a street drug.
Key Numbers
Zero evidence of abuse or diversion across all data sources. Prescription tracking confirmed therapeutic-range dosing over time. No street market detected. Most users reported dysphoric, unappealing effects.
How They Did This
Multi-method assessment including literature review, surveys, and interviews with addiction medicine specialists, oncologists, cancer and HIV researchers, and law enforcement. Prescription tracking data was also reviewed.
Why This Research Matters
This study directly addressed concerns that pharmaceutical THC would become a drug of abuse. The finding that even cannabis-dependent individuals had no interest in dronabinol demonstrated that the pharmaceutical formulation's slow onset and dysphoric effects made it fundamentally different from smoked cannabis in terms of abuse potential.
The Bigger Picture
This study explained why pharmaceutical THC did not generate the abuse concerns some predicted. The key insight is that abuse potential depends heavily on pharmacokinetics: drugs that reach the brain slowly are less reinforcing than those with rapid onset. This principle has informed subsequent cannabinoid drug development.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
The study was conducted among legitimate patients and healthcare providers. Surveillance systems may not capture all forms of diversion. The relatively small patient population using dronabinol at the time may have limited detection of rare abuse events.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would faster-acting THC formulations have higher abuse potential?
- ?Has dronabinol abuse emerged as its use has expanded?
- ?Do these findings support keeping THC in a lower drug schedule?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Zero evidence of abuse, diversion, or street market for prescription THC
- Evidence Grade:
- A multi-method assessment with data from multiple professional groups and prescription tracking. Thorough methodology but funded in a context where negative abuse findings would support continued marketing.
- Study Age:
- Published in 1998. Dronabinol was rescheduled from Schedule II to Schedule III in 1999, partly based on evidence like this.
- Original Title:
- Abuse potential of dronabinol (Marinol).
- Published In:
- Journal of psychoactive drugs, 30(2), 187-96 (1998)
- Authors:
- Calhoun, S R, Galloway, G P, Smith, D E
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00065
Evidence Hierarchy
Summarizes existing research on a topic.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't people abuse prescription THC?
Dronabinol has a slow onset, is weakly reinforcing, and most users find its effects dysphoric and unappealing. The pharmacokinetics make it fundamentally different from smoked cannabis.
Did cannabis users want to use Marinol?
No. Cannabis-dependent individuals showed no interest in abusing dronabinol, likely because it does not provide the rapid onset and euphoria of smoked cannabis.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00065APA
Calhoun, S R; Galloway, G P; Smith, D E. (1998). Abuse potential of dronabinol (Marinol).. Journal of psychoactive drugs, 30(2), 187-96.
MLA
Calhoun, S R, et al. "Abuse potential of dronabinol (Marinol).." Journal of psychoactive drugs, 1998.
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Abuse potential of dronabinol (Marinol)." RTHC-00065. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/calhoun-1998-abuse-potential-of-dronabinol
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.