In this study we used in situ hybridisation and double-labelling immunohistochemistry to characterise cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB₁) expression in rat lumbar dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Approximately 25% of DRG neurons expressed CB₁ mRNA and displayed immunoreactivity for CB₁. Sixty-nine percent to 82% of CB₁-expressing cells were also immunoreactive for neurofilament 200, indicative of myelinated A-fibre neurons, which tend to be large- and medium-sized DRG neurons (>600 μm²). Approximately 10% of CB1-expressing cells also expressed transient receptor potential vanilloid family ion channel 2 (TRPV2), the noxious heat-transducing channel found in medium to large lightly myelinated Aδ-fibre DRG neurons. Seventeen percent to 26% of CB₁-expressing cells co-stained using Isolectin B4, 9–10% for calcitonin gene-related peptide and 11–20% for transient receptor potential vanilloid family ion channel 1 (TRPV1), predominantly markers of small non-myelinated C-fibre DRG neurons (<600 μm²). These findings suggest that whilst a wide range of DRG neuron phenotypes express CB₁, it is predominantly associated with myelinated fibres.