JWH-18

JWH-18, or Naphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl)methanone, is a synthetic cannabinoid containing a substituted indole structure. This indole core is shared with other cannabinoid substances including PB-22, 5F-PB-22, JWH-018, and AM2201. JWH-018 is substituted at R₁ with a pentyl chain. Additionally, the indole core is substituted at R₃ with a carbonyl group which is also bonded to a napthalene moeity. Napthalene is a bicyclic structure of two fused benzene rings. This carbonyl bridge of JWH-018 classifies it as a ketone. JWH-018 is an analog of THJ-018, in which the core indazole structure is substituted with an indole base. Buy JWH-18.

Pharmacology

JWH-018 is a full agonist of both the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, with a reported binding affinity of 9.00 ± 5.00 nM at CB1 and 2.94 ± 2.65 nM at CB2.^[6] However, the role of these interactions and how it results in the cannabinoid high experience continues to remain elusive.

Subjective effects

The effects listed below are based upon the subjective effects index and personal experiences of PsychonautWiki contributors. These effects should be taken with a grain of salt and will rarely (if ever) occur all at once, but heavier doses will increase the chances of inducing a full range of effects. Likewise, adverse effects become much more likely on higher doses and may include serious injury or death.

Physical effects

• • Spontaneous physical sensations – The “body high” of JWH-018 can be described as a warm, soft, and often full body tingling sensation that spreads over the body. It maintains a consistent presence that quickly rises with the onset and hits its limit once the peak has been reached before immediately dissipating. It is often described as being synthetic in feel and not as pleasant or as encompassing as the body high given by traditional cannabis. The JWH-018 body high has also been described by some as being slightly anxiety-inducing or even flat out uncomfortable when compared to the effects given by natural cannabinoids.
  • Sedation – Generally, the effects on the user’s energy levels are sedating. This encourages one to relax, lie down, and (at higher doses) fall asleep. It produces strong sedative effects that can be described as on par with 5F-PB-22 and more sedating when compared to THC, JWH-073, THJ-018, AM-2201, or 5F-UR-144 but less than that of 5F-AKB48.
  • Motor control loss – This substance causes a partial to moderate suppression of motor control which intensifies proportional to dose, but rarely results in a complete inability to walk and perform basic movements. This effect is usually more pronounced with JWH-018 than it is with normal cannabis. Reports at higher dosages describing bad trips describe a horrifying inability to move, as if the user is not in control of their own body. It can be compared to catatonia with convulsions.
    • Convulsions – These are generalized, sometimes painful spasms of the body or limbs that occur in moderate to high doses. They are not to be taken as seizures, which are much more serious.
    • Seizures – The seizures produced by JWH-018 usually only occur in high doses.
  • Appetite enhancement – As with many other cannabinoids, JWH-018 causes an increase in appetite^[7], known colloquially as “the munchies” in popular American and United Kingdom culture. Clinical studies and survey data have found that cannabis increases food enjoyment and interest in food.^[8] This is thought to be due to the way in which endocannabinoids in the hypothalamus activate cannabinoid receptors that are responsible for maintaining food intake.^[9]
  • Dehydration – This is known colloquially as “cotton mouth” in popular American and United Kingdom culture. In overdoses, it can become not only discomforting, but even painful.
  • Vasodilation – Cannabinoids appear to decrease blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels and increasing blood flow throughout the body. The arteries in the eyeball expand from the decreased blood pressure and the heart rate increases to compensate for the reduction in pressure.
    • Increased heart rate JWH-018 causes tachycardia due to vasodilation. This may be mild, but can become severe.
  • Pain relief – Cannabinoids have been clinically demonstrated to provide pain relief via agonism of cannabinoid receptors CB₁ and CB₂, which extends to synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists.^[10][11]
  • Perception of bodily heaviness or Perception of bodily lightness
  • Changes in felt gravity – JWH-018, like other cannabinoids, is capable of causing vertigo with which the environment appears to be spinning or oscillating. At moderate doses, it can spontaneously induce the sensation of falling, which can be overwhelming, anxiety-inducing, and extremely uncomfortable. The propensity of this is greatly reduced and eliminated in proportion to tolerance.

Visual effects

• • Colour enhancement
  • Acuity suppression
  • Geometry – As reported with other cannabinoids, JWH-018 can produce closed eye visuals at moderate doses, which can escalate into visual distortions such as a ripples in the field of vision upon continuous administration. Within users who also regularly use psychedelics, it is capable of inducing these consistently in a visual style which seems to be an averaged out depiction of all the psychedelics one has used within the past. These rarely extend beyond level 4 and are considered to be mild, fine, small and zoomed out but brighter and better defined than the geometry experienced with cannabis.

Cognitive effects

• • Emotion enhancement – The most prominent cognitive component of cannabinoids is the way in which they enhance the emotions one is already feeling proportional to dose. This can result in euphoria, extreme laughter, and increased immersion within tasks and activities, or it can result in anxiety and paranoia depending on the user’s current state of mind.
  • Euphoria – This can be considered very prominent in comparison to THJ-018, AM-2201, and 5F-UR-144 but less intense in comparison to JWH-073.
  • Thought connectivity – This can attribute to fluid, more abstract thinking in comparison to linear thought.
  • Anxiety – Subjectively, JWH-018 is less anxiogenic and stimulating than Δ9-THC, THJ-018, AM-2201, or 5F-UR-144 but more so than JWH-073. This effect is countered by use of benzodiazepines, other anti-anxiety agents, and a comfortable setting and also lessens with tolerance.
  • Panic attacks – JWH-018 is readily capable of inducing a panic attack at higher doses. Typically, it surfaces from paranoia, involves feelings of soon death, feelings of impending doom, and severe paranoia. Combined with the physical effects, these can be extremely overwhelming and may take several minutes of reassuring the user to calm them down. This effect is countered by use of benzodiazepines, other anti-anxiety agents, and a comfortable setting and also lessens with tolerance.
  • Conceptual thinking
  • Depersonalization
  • Derealization
  • Dream suppression
  • Immersion enhancement
  • Increased music appreciation
  • analysis suppression
  • Memory suppression
  • Paranoia – All cannabinoids are capable of inducing paranoia at high doses or with chronic administration.
  • Psychosis – The prolonged usage of synthetic cannabinoids may increase one’s disposition to psychosis^[12], particularly in vulnerable individuals with risk factors for psychotic illnesses (like a past or family history of schizophrenia).^[13][14][15]
  • Thought deceleration