title: Carboxy-THC in Washed Hair: Still the Reliable Indicator of Marijuana Ingestion.
abstract: The presence of the metabolite 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (C-THC) in hair is generally accepted as the definitive proof of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) ingestion. During hair analysis, the removal of any potential C-THC external contamination that could result from marijuana smoke or close personal contact via a wash procedure is critical. Here, we performed a series of experiments to demonstrate that C-THC is the reliable indicator of marijuana ingestion when paired with the correct washing procedure to remove potential external contamination.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Psychemedics Corporation, 5832 Uplander Way, Culver, CA 90056, USA.
authors.forename: Virginia A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Psychemedics Corporation, 5832 Uplander Way, Culver, CA 90056, USA.
authors.forename: Michael I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Schaffer
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Psychemedics Corporation, 5832 Uplander Way, Culver, CA 90056, USA neils@psychemedics.com.
authors.forename: G Neil
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Stowe
mesh_terms: D002188:Cannabis; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000032:analysis*; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D013759:Dronabinol