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JWH-073
Naphthalen-1-yl-(1-butylindol-3-yl)methanone
Spice (product brand name containing JWH-073)
JWH-073 is a synthetic cannabinoid of the naphthoylindole class.12 It was among the first variations of JWH-018 to appear in commercially available smoking mixtures sold under the Spice brand.citation needed Its effects are frequently described as cannabis-like but only to a limited degree, with certain aspects of the natural cannabis experience notably absent or distorted. It is typically administered by smoking.
Dosage & Duration
Dosage
Doses are population estimates that vary widely between individuals.
Threshold~3 mg
Light3-5 mg
Moderate5-10 mg
Strong10+ mg
Duration
Onset30 seconds
Total2 hours
Subjective Effects
Legacy content. A statistically backed ontology from Mindstate Design Labs is coming soon.
The experience broadly resembles that of cannabis, consistent with JWH-073's action as a cannabinoid receptor agonist, though the resemblance is only partial. Certain elements of the cannabis experience are absent entirely while others present in a somewhat distorted form, giving the state an incomplete or 'off' quality compared to natural cannabis. Despite these differences, the experience is generally considered pleasant enough to be worth repeating by those who use it, and animal studies strongly suggest its effects closely parallel those of THC in humans.
Pharmacology
Pharmacodynamics
JWH-073 acts as a full agonist at both the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors.citation needed It displays moderate selectivity for CB1, with approximately five-fold greater affinity at this subtype compared to CB2.3 Its CB1 binding affinity exceeds that of THC,3 while its affinity at CB2 is comparable to THC.4
Pharmacokinetics
Absorption & half-lifenot documented yetMetabolitesnone documented yet
Interactions
Interactions not written up yet
An unlisted combination is an unknown one, not a safe one. Check a dedicated combination chart before mixing.
Tolerance
Tolerance timelines are rules of thumb, not exact schedules, and vary widely between individuals and use patterns.
Cross Tolerance
Cannabinoids
Harm Potential
Addiction & Dependence
Psychological
ModerateRepeated engagement with a cannabis-like synthetic cannabinoid product is described, and Schedule 9 definitions cover substances that may be abused or misused.citation needed
History & Culture
JWH-073 derives its name from John W. Huffman, the American organic chemist whose laboratory developed this and numerous other synthetic cannabinoid compounds as part of cannabinoid receptor research.citation needed The "JWH" prefix identifies compounds originating from Huffman's work.…
Legality
International
The current official INCB lists were inspected for the exact designation and structural names. JWH-073 is not listed in the Yellow List schedules, Green List schedules, or Red List Tables I and II. Similar but distinct JWH substances in the Green List do not establish scheduling of JWH-073.
By Country
Illegal15
United StatesIllegalTemporarily designated as Schedule I on March 1, 2011 through 76 FR 11075,30 then permanently classified under Schedule I on July 9, 2012 via Section 1152 of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act.31
By state
All 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and five territories were reviewed against the federal baseline. 22 jurisdictions had source-backed mirror treatment; 33 remain research gaps. 1 divergent jurisdiction findings were independently upheld.
CaliforniaRestrictedCal. Health & Safety Code § 11357.532
California treats JWH-073 as a synthetic cannabinoid compound under a dedicated statutory offense scheme. Possession or use is punishable as an infraction for a first offense, rather than as federal Schedule I possession; later offenses may be punished more severely. Bona fide research, instruction, or analysis remains permitted only when it does not violate federal law.
AustraliaIllegalPoisons Standard June 20215
Prohibited substance under the Poisons Standard since July 8, 2011. Schedule 9 classification restricts manufacture, possession, sale, and use except when required for approved medical or scientific research, or for analytical, teaching, or training purposes with authorization from Commonwealth and/or State or Territory Health Authorities.6
BrazilIllegalPortaria SVS/MS nº 344, de 12 de maio de 1998, Lista F2, as amended by RDC nº 63, de 17 de outubro de 20147
JWH-073 is listed in Brazil's Lista F2 as JWH-073 or Naftalen-1-il(1-butilindol-3-il) metanona. Lista F2 is the schedule of psychotropic substances whose use is prohibited in Brazil, so JWH-073 is prohibited.
CanadaIllegalControlled Drugs and Substances Act, Schedule II, item 28
JWH-073 is expressly listed as 1-butyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole under Schedule II's synthetic cannabinoid receptor type 1 agonists. The Act prohibits possession of a Schedule II substance except as authorized by regulations, and also prohibits its trafficking, import or export, and production except as authorized.
DenmarkIllegalBekendtgørelse om euforiserende stoffer (BEK nr. 405 af 26/03/2026)9
JWH-073 is expressly listed in List B, item 245, of Denmark's Order on Euphoriant Substances. List B substances may only be used for medical and scientific purposes; import, export, supply, receipt, manufacture, processing, possession, and other activities are subject to the Order's authorisation rules.
IndonesiaIllegal
IrelandIllegal (analog/blanket ban)JWH-073 is covered as a controlled drug by the Order's structural definition for substances derived from 3-(1-naphthoyl)indole with an alkyl substitution at the indole nitrogen. The associated Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations 2010 place that structural group in Schedule 1. The Order also covers stereoisomers, esters, ethers, salts, and preparations containing a covered substance.
NetherlandsIllegal (analog/blanket ban)JWH-073 falls within the Opiumwet's lijst IA structural group for cannabimimetica/synthetic cannabinoids. Article 2a prohibits importing, exporting, preparing, processing, selling, supplying, transporting, possessing, and manufacturing a substance in that group or a preparation containing it.
New ZealandBannedSale prohibited as of May 8, 2014.21
NorwayIllegalForskrift om narkotika (narkotikaforskriften)22
JWH-073 is listed in Norway's narcotics list under the narcotics regulations. Its unauthorized possession, production, supply, import and export are prohibited.
South AfricaIllegalDrugs and Drug Trafficking Act 140 of 1992, Schedule 2, Part III, as substituted by Drugs and Drug Trafficking Amendment Act 14 of 20222324
JWH-073 is expressly listed in Schedule 2, Part III as an undesirable dependence-producing substance. The Act prohibits the use, possession, and dealing in drugs subject to its statutory exceptions; the official Act page identifies Act 14 of 2022 as an amendment to the principal Act.
SwedenIllegalFörordning (1992:1554) om kontroll av narkotika, bilaga 125
JWH-073 is listed in Annex 1 to Sweden's Ordinance (1992:1554) on the Control of Narcotics. Section 2 of that ordinance provides that the substances in Annex 1 are regarded as narcotics under the Narcotic Drugs Punishments Act.
TurkeyBannedSale prohibited as of January 7, 2011.26
United KingdomIllegalMisuse of Drugs Act 1971, Schedule 2, Part II, paragraph 1(c)27
JWH-073 is 1-butyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole. The current consolidated Class B definition covers a compound structurally derived from 3-(1-naphthoyl)indole by substitution at the indole nitrogen with an alkyl substituent; JWH-073's butyl group is such a substituent.
Controlled / restricted1
References
Source Pages
Citations
- Synthetic cannabinoid JWH-073 alters both acute behavior and in vivo/vitro electrophysiological responses in mice. (n.d.). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9634257/1
- Methodology for Controlled Administration of Smoked Synthetic Cannabinoids JWH-018 and JWH-073. (n.d.). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5951724/1
- Influence of the N-1 alkyl chain length of cannabimimetic indoles upon CB(1) and CB(2) receptor binding. (n.d.). https://www.academia.edu/12157944/Influence_of_the_N_1_alkyl_chain_length_of_cannabimimetic_indoles_upon_CB_sub_1_sub_and_CB_sub_2_sub_receptor_binding12
- Human metabolites of synthetic cannabinoids JWH-018 and JWH-073 bind with high affinity and act as potent agonists at cannabinoid type-2 receptors. (n.d.). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3685885/1
- Poisons Standard June 2021. legislation.gov.au (n.d.). https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2021L00650/asmade/2021-05-26/text/original/epub/OEBPS/document_1/document_1.html1
- Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons (Poisons Standard) — Schedule 9 synthetic cannabinoids including JWH-073, effective July 8, 2011. (n.d.). https://www.tga.gov.au/how-we-regulate/ingredients-and-scheduling-medicines-and-chemicals/poisons-standard-and-scheduling-medicines-and-chemicals/poisons-standard-susmp1
- Portaria SVS/MS nº 344, de 12 de maio de 1998, Lista F2, as amended by RDC nº 63, de 17 de outubro de 2014. gov.br (n.d.). https://www.gov.br/anvisa/pt-br/assuntos/medicamentos/controlados/lista-substancias1
- Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, Schedule II, item 2. laws-lois.justice.gc.ca (n.d.). https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-38.8/FullText.html1
- Bekendtgørelse om euforiserende stoffer (BEK nr. 405 af 26/03/2026). retsinformation.dk (n.d.). https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2026/405/pdf1
- Betäubungsmittelgesetz. gesetze-im-internet.de (n.d.). https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/btmg_1981/anlage_ii.html1
Further Reading
Aung et al. 2000: Influence of N-1 alkyl chain length on CB receptor binding
Drugs-Forum: Cannabinoid Dose and Duration Chart- Every-Palmer 2011: Synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018 and psychosis
Frontiers in Neuroscience: JWH-073 and JWH-210 Behavioral Profile- Rajasekaran et al. 2013: Human metabolites of JWH-018 and JWH-073
ScienceDirect Topics: JWH-073 Overview
WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence: JWH-073
Article Status
Step 1 · Automated synthesisAn autonomous workflow built by Josie Kins compiled this article's foundation from information published across the web.
- Step 2 · First-pass reviewPending
Not yet reviewed — this article is pending editorial review by Lyrea.
- Step 3 · Citation reviewPending
No one has reviewed this article's citations yet. That second pass checks each claim against the source it cites.
Recent changes8 human edits · latest
Times are UTCNewest first
26 August 2026
Lyrea · Edited in History & Culture › Content
Lyrea · Changed a word in Dosage & Duration › Routes 1 › Dose ranges › Threshold
24 January 2026
Josie Kins · Updated the article · also 1,4-Butanediol, 1B-LSD, 1cP-AL-LAD and 573 more
Josie Kins · Updated the article · also 1,4-Butanediol, 1B-LSD, 1cP-AL-LAD and 573 more
Josie Kins · Updated the article · also 1,4-Butanediol, 1B-LSD, 1cP-AL-LAD and 573 more
Josie Kins · Updated the article · also 1,4-Butanediol, 1B-LSD, 1cP-AL-LAD and 573 more
Josie Kins · Updated the article · also 1,4-Butanediol, 1B-LSD, 1cP-AL-LAD and 573 more
Josie Kins · Updated the article · also 1,4-Butanediol, 1B-LSD, 1cP-AL-LAD and 573 more
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