Originally published Thursday, June 12, 2008 at 12:00 AM
PrintMarijuana's potency hits 30-year high
Marijuana potency increased last year to the highest level in more than 30 years, posing greater health risks to people who may view the...
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 represents more than a doubling of marijuana potency since 1983, when it averaged just under 4 percent.
But marijuana users generally adjust to the level of potency and smoke it accordingly, said Mitch Earleywine, who teaches psychology at the State University of New York in Albany and advises marijuana-advocacy groups.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
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