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Marijuana is a behavior modifying drug which also has therapeutic effects in the treatment of epilepsy, asthma, nausea, pain and hypertension. The psychoactive ingredient of marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-THC). The chemical structure of delta-THC has been characterized and analogues of the drug have been synthesized, some that are extremely potent, and some which have a therapeutic effect without psychoactivity. The receptor for delta-THC has been recently identified and isolated, and its DNA (deoxyribose nucleic acid) sequence has been characterized. Identification of the receptor has been difficult, and was finally accomplished by accident while scientists were looking for other receptors that bind G proteins (guanine nucleotide binding proteins). G proteins are molecules involved in the transmission of signals, generated from the binding of a molecule to a receptor, to the inside of a cell. The receptor for delta-THC has been identified as a G protein-coupled receptor. The identification of the gene allows further research to be done, including the identification of the normal function of the receptor, the identification of the normal molecule which binds to the receptor, and perhaps the identification of subsets of the receptor. This work could further help separate the therapeutic and psychoactive components of marijuana, possibly enabling it to become an important therapeutic agent. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)