US marijuana 'stronger than ever'
Pastor Dale Morgan
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*US marijuana 'stronger than ever'*
By Maggie Fox in Washington
April 26, 2007 03:18am
Article from: Reuters
THE marijuana being sold across the United States is stronger than ever,
which could explain a growing number of medical emergencies that involve
the drug, government drug experts say.
Analysis of seized samples of marijuana and hashish showed that more of
the cannabis on the market is of the strongest grade, the White House
and National Institute for Drug Abuse said.
They cited data from the University of Mississippi's Marijuana Potency
Project showing the average levels of THC, the active ingredient in
marijuana, in the products rose from 7 per cent in 2003 to 8.5 per cent
in 2006.
The level had risen steadily from 3.5 per cent in 1988.
National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow fears the
problem is not being taken seriously because many adults remember the
marijuana of their youth as harmless.
"It's really not the same type of marijuana," Dr Volkow said.
"This could explain why there has been an increase in the number of
medical emergencies involving marijuana."
The pharmacy department at Mississippi has compiled data on 59,369
samples of cannabis, 1225 hashish samples, and 443 hash oil samples
confiscated since 1975. "The highest concentration of (THC) found in a
cannabis (marijuana) sample is 33.12 per cent from Oregon State Police,"
the report reads.