Marijuana – It’s Not A Big Deal...Or Is It?

Editor,

Have you noticed that attitudes are changing about marijuana? We’ve heard parents say, “He just smokes a little pot...it’s not a big deal.” Actually, it is a very big deal.

Today’s pot is not the marijuana of the ‘60s or ‘70s. The proportion of THC in the commonly used herbal cannabis (marijuana) and resin (hashish) was 3% or less in the 1960s, but subsequently it began to rise, and growers cross-bred plants to increase potency. Then they found that preventing pollination increased THC, and in this situation the female plant converts its energy into producing more cannabinoids rather than seeds.

This type of cannabis is referred to as sinsemilla, which means “without seed” in Spanish, but is sometimes termed “skunk” because of its strong smell. Plants bred to produce a high concentration of THC cannot simultaneously produce a lot of CBD (oils used for medicinal purposes), so the product contains only traces of the latter.

By the early years of the 21st century, the average proportion of THC had risen to 16 and 20% in England and Holland respectively, and sinsemilla had taken over much of the traditional market from resin. Similarly, Australia saw a shift towards high-potency cannabis, with mean THC around 15%, while in the US, potency reached an average of 12% by 2014. (Source: NIH) Remember - Drug Use is not Inevitable – It’s Preventable. FOCUS ON PREVENTION! Your children are far less likely to use pot if you talk with them at an early age about the risks of drugs and talk about it often. For more information, visit the Warwick Valley Prevention Coalition website at warwicknyprevention.org,

Francesca Bryson

Coalition Coordinator

Warwick Valley Prevention Coalition