Marijuana smoking and cold tolerance in man.

Ten men who were marijuana users served as subjects in a study of the effects of marijuana smoking on response to cold. Cold water (28 degrees C for 60 min) and cold air (20 degrees C for 120 min) mediums were utilized with three exposures in each medium. The three exposures followed smoking marijuana, smoking placebo, and a no-smoking control period. Additionally, a breathhold experiment preceded and followed the four smoking periods. Marijuana and placebo smoke were inhaled from a spirometer with each man receiving the smoke of 0.739 g of marijuana and placebo. Smoking marijuana did not greatly modify body heat content, since rectal temperature and most peripheral temperatures were not altered. However, temperatures over voluntary muscles likely to be involved in shivering were elevated. Heat production also greatly increased after marijuana, suggesting that it had stimulated shivering. Marijuana also produced tachycardia and abolished apneic bradycardia. The mechanism of this action is not clear, but some sympathetic involvement is indicated.