Study Says Marijuana Is Now More Potent
News important to college students everywhere: Marijuana is as potent as it has been in 30 years, a report (pdf) from the University of Mississippi's Potency Monitoring Project says. The project—which is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, whose "mission is to lead the nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction"—collected and analyzed samples of seized pot from 48 states and determined that THC levels are almost double what they were in 1983.
As can be expected from information distributed by the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy, the press release included a number of ominous warnings about the increased potency of marijuana, including the risk of mental impairment, respiratory problems, addiction, the correlation between pot use and teen depression, and its status as a gateway drug. "Baby boomer parents who still think marijuana is a harmless substance need to look at the facts," it reads.
In response, an op-ed in today's Daily Mississippian from the deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws says that "government claims of highly potent pot must be taken with a grain of salt" and that while "the feds' latest 'reefer rhetoric' may sound alarming, there's little substance behind the hype." Jacob Sullum at Reason magazine also does his part to debunk some of the government's claims, attempting to poke holes in the press release's logic and accusing it of using the "usual Anslingeresque scare mongering about marijuana madness."
Tags: drugs | University of Mississippi | marijuana
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Reader Comments
Not a surprise
The main reason of potency increase is the prohibition of the product. Remember when alcohol was prohibited, nobody was producing beer or cidder, but whisky.
Since consumers and dealers are prosecuted on the basis of the weight, it is absolutely not a surprise that the producers try to increase the potency. The Governement is directly responsible of this situation.
Marijuana should be legal
As THC is a non-toxic chemical it is really just the marijuana buds itself that are toxic. I agree with what jason said about how if we just stick to low doses of High potency weed, then it will be less toxic then smoking high quantities of swag thus making it safer. Anyhow, there is a problem with people curing there marijuana wrong producing harmful mold such as Aspergillus. This is a problem and It would be eliminated if it was all legal, then it would be always professionally grown, cured, and packaged.
And I wouldn't mind my marijuana being taxed if it was legal, I am sure people agree with me on this. If the US would just make marijuana legal it would be a very lucrative decision for them for all the tax dollars they are missing out on for a very outdated law. Of coarse the Conservatives will freak out because of all of the propaganda this country has been feeding them they deem true of how marijuana is a gateway drug etc.
People are very closed minded and want to shelter there kids or themselves, they associate marijuana with negative stereo-types that will make legalization a long struggle for the us. I believe the legalization of Marijuana will have positive aspects for the people and the government alike.
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