JWH-098 is a synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist from the naphthoylindole family. It is the indole 2-methyl derivative of a closely related compound JWH-081, but has markedly different affinity for the CB<sub>1</sub> and CB<sub>2</sub> receptors. While JWH-081 is around tenfold selective for CB<sub>1</sub> over CB<sub>2</sub>, in JWH-098 this is reversed, and it is around four times weaker than JWH-081 at CB<sub>1</sub> while being six times more potent at CB<sub>2</sub>, giving it a slight selectivity for CB<sub>2</sub> overall. This makes JWH-098 a good example of how methylation of the indole 2-position in the naphthoylindole series tends to increase CB<sub>2</sub> affinity, but often at the expense of CB<sub>1</sub> binding.
In the United States, all CB<sub>1</sub> receptor agonists of the 3-(1-naphthoyl)indole class such as JWH-098 are Schedule I Controlled Substances.
JWH-098 is illegal in Russia, Sweden, and the UK, although it is unclear whether it has any history of human use.