Study: Marijuana potency increases in 2007

[Jahness]

Study: Marijuana potency increases in 2007

By HOPE YEN,
Associated Press Writer

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"Today's report makes it more important than ever that we get past outdated, anachronistic views of marijuana," said John Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.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.

On the Net:

White House Office of National Drug Control Policy: Office of National Drug Control Policy

___

Associated Press writer Christine Simmons contributed to this report.

Study: Marijuana potency increases in 2007 - Yahoo! News

Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press.

[JOSIE]

Hurray!!!

The US is finally getting that good weed only Islanders and people near the equator get access to...thats all.


But on a side note: They are putting chemicals in our supply so that they can cause health problems never known to weed smokers and then the government won't have to worry about convincing ppl to stop smoking weed.

[Elisa Keisha]

Hurray!!!

The US is finally getting that good weed only Islanders and people near the equator get access to...thats all.


But on a side note: They are putting chemicals in our supply so that they can cause health problems never known to weed smokers and then the government won't have to worry about convincing ppl to stop smoking weed.

yeah well, like people every cared about health issues when they do drugs or food.
but yes u are probably right. i know where my herb comes from tho. and no goverment hands have get in the middle.

[Elisa Keisha]

let me understand this for a minute, when did they find any data about marihuana contents having anything to do with tendency to consume other harder drugs???? This is such a stupidity!! people do hard drugs for psychosocial reasons, no chemical can make you search for a different one from a different source! anxiety, depression and soul emptyness does.
So if people goes from marinuana and hash to cocaine and heroin is exactly because marihuana is a soft drug and is not enough for them!!! just wanted to make that clear.

ANYWAYS! i dont know about the negative consequences, all i know is that if my weed has higher quaility for the same price, i save money.

[gaiamon]

REMENBER THIS INFO CAME OUT OF THE "WHITE HOUSE."

And also they are not telling you in this mis-informational report that they are doing down at the university of Mississippi excatly what all growers around the world are doing, and that is "Hybridizing" and breeding from select strains to get increased potency,which is what tokers want.

And they forgot to tell you of the many strains that they are perfecting for the major cigarette manufactures that are just waiting in line(many already holding pattens) for the signal to be able to dominate the market and to sell ligitimately on the amerikkkan market! These companies already have marijuana designed cigarette packages already made up and ready to go.I saw them sometime ago,so just google and prehaps they have not hidden them.

And dont think for a minute that all of this herb that they grow within all that razor wire and fencing at the university just stays there and never go home with any of the researchers or back onto the street! And as I passed the dreadlock camp I heard them say "PASS IT TO THE LEFT HAND SIDE; HE DOUBLE BUMPED,HE DOUBLE BUMPED.....AYEEEEEEEEE
Peaceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[JOSIE]

let me understand this for a minute, when did they find any data about marihuana contents having anything to do with tendency to consume other harder drugs???? This is such a stupidity!! people do hard drugs for psychosocial reasons, no chemical can make you search for a different one from a different source! anxiety, depression and soul emptyness does.
So if people goes from marinuana and hash to cocaine and heroin is exactly because marihuana is a soft drug and is not enough for them!!! just wanted to make that clear.

ANYWAYS! i dont know about the negative consequences, all i know is that if my weed has higher quaility for the same price, i save money.

I wanna try hash! I feel like I'm missing out...Don't wanna try anything else though.

[Elisa Keisha]

I wanna try hash! I feel like I'm missing out...Don't wanna try anything else though.

hey sis! well, i think this is different in the states, but here, hash is cheaper and marihuana is the "pure" thing, lets say, hash effect is "dirtier". also because u have to mix it with more tobacco. doesnt bring so much "inspiration" effect. but yeah, its nothing bad as long as u use it correctly.

[JOSIE]

hey sis! well, i think this is different in the states, but here, hash is cheaper and marihuana is the "pure" thing, lets say, hash effect is "dirtier". also because u have to mix it with more tobacco. doesnt bring so much "inspiration" effect. but yeah, its nothing bad as long as u use it correctly.

WOW! My x was telling me that when they cut down the weed plants in Jamaica, hash is the gum that is left on the knives after the weed is cut; he says the hash here in the states is not hash and he called it garbage...I dunno much about it...They gotta have it especially in NY, but maybe not anymore these days its harder to carry "drugs" from point A to B it seems.

[Elisa Keisha]

WOW! My x was telling me that when they cut down the weed plants in Jamaica, hash is the gum that is left on the knives after the weed is cut; he says the hash here in the states is not hash and he called it garbage...I dunno much about it...They gotta have it especially in NY, but maybe not anymore these days its harder to carry "drugs" from point A to B it seems.

if u smoke weed frequently, u may like to try to grinder it with one of these gringers that are double, that have a screen. the grindered week stays on the screen and thru it pass the dust left, which is hash. after maaaany times you get to have enough for a joint.

[La Bella Afrique]

I dont care what anyone says....weed can mess a person up!!!!

[Elisa Keisha]

I dont care what6 anyone says....weed can mess a person up!!!!

no doubt about that, but only if combined with sociospychological stressors (and who does not suffer them?)

[It's Not All Good Now]

Study: Marijuana potency increases in 2007

By HOPE YEN,
Associated Press Writer

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.

On the Net:

White House Office of National Drug Control Policy: Office of National Drug Control Policy

___

Associated Press writer Christine Simmons contributed to this report.

Study: Marijuana potency increases in 2007 - Yahoo! News

Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press.

Thanks


http://www.caribbeanmandate.com/

[JOSIE]

I dont care what anyone says....weed can mess a person up!!!!

Really? How is that...R U sure its not the individual that messes themselves up or are u saying that weed is powerful enough to mess a person up literally?

[Sourakhata]

Really? How is that...R U sure its not the individual that messes themselves up or are u saying that weed is powerful enough to mess a person up literally?

Some people are not strong enough or rather it can be too strong for some person so she's quite right..!

[Langalibalele]

Africans dont have any business getting high, when most people cannot function under Imperialism with their faculties clear. You have a revolution to make and marijuana is not revolutionary. We dont need weed, crack, alcohol, opiates, glue or anything with messes with our clarity or courage.
And I aint holier than thou. I tried em all