Acute effects of marijuana and placebo cigarette smoking on pulse rate and self-estimations of mood and level of intoxication were studied in ten post-menopausal women. Six women had no prior experience with marijuana. Four subjects had a total of seven marijuana smoking experiences, none of which occurred during the past year. Statistically significant increases in pulse rate and level of intoxication followed marijuana but not placebo cigarette smoking. Marijuana smoking also induced a significant increase in symptoms of confusion and a decrease in self-report indices of arousal.