Study: Marijuana potency increases in 2007

[Binky]

WASHINGTON

Marijuana potency increased last year to the highest level in more than 30 years, posing greater health risks to people who may view the drug as harmless, according to a report released Thursday by the White House.

The latest analysis from the University of Mississippi's Potency Monitoring Project tracked the average amount of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, in samples seized by law enforcement agencies from 1975 through 2007. It found that the average amount of THC reached 9.6 percent in 2007, compared with 8.75 percent the previous year.

The 9.6 percent level represents more than a doubling of marijuana potency since 1983, when it averaged just under 4 percent.

"Today's report makes it more important than ever that we get past outdated, anachronistic views of marijuana," said John Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. He cited baby boomer parents who might have misguided notions that the drug contains the weaker potency levels of the 1970s.

"Marijuana potency has grown steeply over the past decade, with serious implications in particular for young people," Walters said. He cited the risk of psychological, cognitive and respiratory problems, and the potential for users to become dependent on drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

While the drug's potency may be rising, marijuana users generally adjust to the level of potency and smoke it accordingly, said Dr. Mitch Earleywine, who teaches psychology at the State University of New York in Albany and serves as an adviser for marijuana advocacy groups. "Stronger cannabis leads to less inhaled smoke," he said.

The White House office attributed the increases in marijuana potency to sophisticated growing techniques that drug traffickers are using at sites in the United States and Canada.

A report from the office last month found that a teenager who has been depressed in the past year was more than twice as likely to have used marijuana than teenagers who have not reported being depressed — 25 percent compared with 12 percent. The study said marijuana use increased the risk of developing mental disorders by 40 percent.

"The increases in marijuana potency are of concern since they increase the likelihood of acute toxicity, including mental impairment," said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which funded the University of Mississippi study.

"Particularly worrisome is the possibility that the more potent THC might be more effective at triggering the changes in the brain that can lead to addiction," Volkow said.

But there's no data showing that a higher potency in marijuana leads to more addiction, Earleywine said, and marijuana's withdrawal symptoms are mild at best. "Mild irritability, craving for marijuana and decreased appetite — I mean those are laughable when you talk about withdrawal from a drug. Caffeine is worse."

The project analyzed data on 62,797 cannabis samples, 1,302 hashish samples, and 468 hash oil samples obtained primarily from seizures by law enforcement agencies in 48 states since 1975.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080612/...ijuana_potency

[lequebecfume]

Is marijuana more potent today than in the past ?

Potency is a red herring. Average use today may be of marijuana that is about 2 to 3 times as potent as decades ago but users simply use less to get the same effect with less smoke.

Even 30 years ago, much more potent strains than are normally used today were available, but were seldom used. As with alcohol and tobacco, users generally prefer milder versions.

A respected annual University of Michigan study (MTF) asks respondents about levels of intoxication:

'The line for marijuana is flat as a pancake. Kids who get stoned today aren't getting any more stoned than their parents were. That ought to be the end of the argument.' - UCLA professor Mark Kleiman (more below)

The variations in potency have always been present and the range is less than is common with alcohol. More potent marijuana has been common in Europe for decades and use and dependence remain much lower there than in the US.

"Marijuana potency has increased; however, it is unlikely that average potency levels will reach 20 or 30 percent THC in the near term. Even with the advances in indoor cultivation techniques or marijuana production methods used throughout the United States and Canada where much of the higher potency marijuana is produced, THC levels remain, typically, under 15 percent. ... average THC levels likely will continue to increase only gradually or remain relatively stable." - NDIC Comment on NDTA 2005

Potency above 15 percent is quite unusual (although more potent strains have been around for decades). This contrasts with marijuana in pill form which is 100 percent potent yet has been reclassified from Schedule II to Schedule III meaning it became thought of as less dangerous. There is no known user market for the non-medical use of the pill which has been around for many years.

"A 2002 RCMP report cautions that exaggerated claims about marijuana potency are being made in the media and warns that any such claims should be based on "actual laboratory analysis results." The report provides the results of two such analyses. Between 1996 and 1999, a total of 3,160 samples of seized marijuana were tested for THC levels: The average each year varied between 5.5 to six per cent; the top-rated sample was 25 per cent, but samples of more than 16 per cent were extremely rare, and "almost a third of the samples were under three per cent.

"The THC content of all pot last year was 5.32 percent; during the past decade, it averaged 4.1 percent."

" [UCLA professor Mark] Kleiman cites the respected annual University of Michigan study that asks respondents about levels of intoxication. Writes Kleiman: 'The line for marijuana is flat as a pancake. Kids who get stoned today aren't getting any more stoned than their parents were. That ought to be the end of the argument.'

"Of course, the Walters scare campaign is nothing new. Back in 1994, City University of New York professor and marijuana advocate John Morgan cited three New York Times articles warning of alarming increases in marijuana's potency. They were published in 1980, 1986, and 1994."

- From "The Myth of Potent Pot"

The drug czar's latest reefer madness: He claims that marijuana is 30 times more powerful than it used to be.

By Daniel Forbes, November 19, 2002

Also see: [c]

"According to the federal Potency Monitoring Project, the average potency of marijuana has increased very little since the 1980s. The Project reports that in 1985, the average THC content of commercial-grade marijuana was 2.84%, and the average for high-grade sinsemilla in 1985 was 7.17%. In 1995, the potency of commercial-grade marijuana averaged 3.73%, while the potency of sinsemilla in 1995 averaged 7.51%. In 2001, commercial-grade marijuana averaged 4.72% THC, and the potency of sinsemilla in 2001 averaged 9.03%."

- Quarterly Report #76, Nov. 9, 2001-Feb. 8, 2002, University of Mississippi Potency Monitoring Project, NIDA Marijuana Project (NIDA Contract #N01DA-0-7707).

http://www.drugwarfacts.org/marijuan.htm [Item 29.]

Also see: www.drugwardistortions.org/distortion11.htm

The key point is that if much more potent cannabis is a problem - and it may be - the problem is largely a result of a prohibition that encourages more childhood experimentation, more potent strains, a lack of regulation that deprives users of needed knowledge and a lack of the cultural norms that encourage moderate use.

EXTRA-HIGH CANNABIS THEORY GOES UP IN SMOKE

The Guardian (UK), 6-26-04

EXTRACTS:

The effective strength of cannabis consumed in Britain has remained stable for the past 30 years...

The research says there is no evidence for claims that most cannabis consumed in Britain and the rest of Europe is now 10 times or more stronger than it was in the 70s.

The US drugs "tsar" John Walters and toxicologist John Henry of St Mary's hospital in Paddington, west London, are among those who have warned that the cannabis available now bears little resemblance to that on the market 30 years ago, with serious health dangers for regular users.

The EU study says that the strength of the active ingredient - THC - has remained unchanged at about 6% for most of the cannabis smoked in Britain.

"There has been much speculation on the strength of cannabis available today, but little in the way of hard evidence," said its director, Georges Estievenart.

The report concludes it is possible that regular use of higher potency cannabis could lead to health problems such as panic attacks and minor psychological problems, but as yet this kind of cannabis remains relatively rare.

"Statements in the popular media that the potency of cannabis has increased by ten times or more in recent decades are not supported by the limited data that are available from either the USA or Europe."

"The THC content of cannabis products in general is extremely variable ... there have always been some samples that have had a high potency."

- European Union Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addiction, "EMCDDA Insights 6: An Overview of Cannabis Potency in Europe." 6-26-04


http://dpft.org/faqs.htm#a

just the facts !

LEQ

[The Crusader]

I've been smoking since 1979 and I've seen potent pot in all three decades and I've seen some fake pot (5% or less) in all three decades. The only difference I can see is the market doesn't want fake pot anymore, people like smoking something that actually does affect them, not "I think I'm high".
When will these guys, that don't know first hand, what they're talking about stop using fear mongering as scientific evidence. I'm really getting sick of the B.S. that is spewing out of these bias, relitively small, and financially backed by the wrong people, studies.

[tumbleweed]

First of all, if it more potent....it means it is better quality medicinal value and this in turn means the user only needs to use a small amount to achieve the desired effects, this is turn means less heaving or sucking on a joint which means less aggravation, more medicine, and much less tar from the smoke. Besides, nowadays smoking is only an option, and much medicating is done through
vaporizing the cannabis in a device such as the Volcano, which eliminates the need for any smoke at all..so it is quite a bit healthier.
So, the arguement that more potent is somehow less desireable needs to be further explained by those saying this is a negative rather than a positive development.
Secondly, you think this has dire consequences for the young people. And I would say to you, that it is the prohibition of cannabis that is harming our young because our government chooses to allow the underworld to control cannabis, thereby relinquishing all control of this drug to criminals. Why not legalize the drug, and then it can be effectively removed from the control of criminals and placed in the good hands of the peoples government to control, tax, and regulate this very useful and beneficial cannabis medicine.

[sevens]

i remember when i was smoking in the 70 ..we had good stuff ...but i found that what we have today is better .some expert do refine and cross new breed .by doing so the potency increase for sure .result from a lab will not tell me that i do smoke some 5 % .when i know that my strain is more potent than that .some breeder do write when you visit their site to buy beans ..this strain have 17 % thc ..and some more .i guess they did not really seise the good stuff but just some big grow op who do not care about the potency but just the yield ...my 2 penny ..7..

[zigzag1a]

so friggin what? are they gonna bring this story out every year that someone decides that potency may have increased by a half percent? it's not as if it was overproof rum!

[TheCap'n]

I can't believe the doctor in that article said increased potency raises the risk of acute toxicity. So, if you have more of something thats completely nontoxic, the substance changes and becomes toxic . How do people get degrees in that country?

[krokker]

There were some strong strains then as well, but now the quality, IE: more smokable parts by weight (stems/seeds) and the marijuana is fresher and not crushed (as often). Cost is way up, but a bag goes further. Peace

[GreenThumb]

When a whisky drinker mixes a drink with 180 proof whisky does he mix it the same way he would with say a 40 proof shot?
Just more Prohibitionists bull shit!!

[Pistol Pete]

Not To Mention The Ever Increasing Potency Of Heroin And Cocaine !!!
Apparently Despite Burmas Humanitarian Crisis And Afghanistans Invasion Bumper Crops Higher Than Ever Recorded Shall Shortly Be Hitting Our Shores ( Both Canada And The U.K )
300% Increases Three Years In A Row Should be Getting The Governments Attention
Or Is This A Copycat CIA Type Crack Epidemia Spread To Further The Rich/ Poor Divide
Go Figure !!
PP

[tripps]

Well, all I can say is I'm trying to do my part, in growing and breeding, to increase the potency. LOL