John William Huffman (1932–2022) was a professor of organic chemistry at

Clemson University Clemson University () is a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina. Founded in 1889, Clemson is the second-largest university in the student population in South Carolina. For the fall 2019 semester, the university enr ...

who first synthesised novel cannabinoids. His research, funded by the

National Institute on Drug Abuse The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is a United States federal government research institute whose mission is to "advance science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction and to apply that knowledge to improve individual a ...

, was focused on making a drug to target

endocannabinoid Cannabinoids () are several structural classes of compounds found in the cannabis plant primarily and most animal organisms (although insects lack such receptors) or as synthetic compounds. The most notable cannabinoid is the phytocannabinoid tet ...

receptors in the body.

Cannabinoid research

Beginning in 1984, Huffman and his team of researchers began synthesizing cannabinoid compounds with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) properties for medical research purposes. Over the course of twenty years, Huffman and his team developed over 400 synthetic cannabinoid compounds which were used as pharmacological tools to study

endocannabinoids Cannabinoids () are several structural classes of compounds found in the cannabis plant primarily and most animal organisms (although insects lack such receptors) or as synthetic compounds. The most notable cannabinoid is the phytocannabinoid tet ...

and

cannabinoid receptor Cannabinoid receptors, located throughout the body, are part of the endocannabinoid system a class of cell membrane receptors in the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily. As is typical of G protein-coupled receptors, the cannabinoid recep ...

genetics. Ultimately, the cannabinoid research provided better understanding of the physiological cannabinoid control system in the human body and brain and opened a path of "elucidating this natural regulatory mechanism in health and disease." In the late 2000s, two of Huffman's cannabinoid compounds were found in street drugs K2 and

Spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spices a ...

being sold in Germany as marijuana alternatives. "I figured once it got started in Germany it was going to spread. I'm concerned that it could hurt people," Huffman said. "I think this was something that was more or less inevitable. It bothers me that people are so stupid as to use this stuff". Huffman may have developed these compounds for scientific research, but he was blamed for its abuse.Wiley, Jenny L., et al
Hijacking of Basic Research: The Case of Synthetic Cannabinoids
''Methods Report (RTI Press)'', November 2011: 17971. As

JWH-018 JWH-018 (1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole, NA-PIMO or AM-678) is an analgesic chemical from the naphthoylindole family that acts as a full agonist at both the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, with some selectivity for CB2. It produces effects in ...

is more potent and easy to make, Huffman believes it is a more widely used synthetic cannabinoid of the JWH series.

Legal advisor

More than half a dozen countries had banned herbal blends containing synthetic cannabinoids and many others were also considering banning them. In the US, the states of Kansas, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and New York banned K2, herbal incense. JWH-018 was banned by controlled substances act on December 21, 2012. Law enforcement officials in Canada asked Huffman to serve as a consultant and expert witness. He received numerous media queries and requests for analytical help from law enforcement officials. Huffman planned to provide law officials with updates on JWH advancements following his 2010 retirement.

References

External links

John W. Huffman
at the

Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large na ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Huffman, John W 1932 births Living people Organic chemists 21st-century American chemists JWH cannabinoids Clemson University faculty Cannabis researchers Harvard University alumni Northwestern University alumni

Cannabinoid research

Legal advisor

See also

References

External links