By Joe Alton, M.D.
The public perception of marijuana use has evolved significantly in the 21st century. A comprehensive 2017 Marist poll revealed that an estimated 54 million U.S. citizens smoke pot, the majority of which claimed to use it regularly. At present, 37 states have legalized marijuana for medical use, and 19 states have legalized it recreationally. As more and more states make recreational marijuana legal, its popularity for other than medical purposes will, likely, proliferate even further. As such, you should know this: it ain’t the same weed your grandparents smoked.
The compound in marijuana that gets you “high” is called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). An analysis of pot seized by DEA agents over the years found that the THC potency was about 4% in 1995. By 2017, studies were recording potency up to 17.1% and by 2019, almost 20%. That’s an increase of several hundred percent in a little less than 25 years. Other cannabis products, like “hash,” can reach levels of 90%.
How did marijuana become so potent? The ’60s hippie mantra regarding LSD was “better living through chemistry.” With today’s cannabis, it isn’t chemical manipulation; it’s agriculture. One reason weed is getting stronger is the concentration on harvesting something called “sinsemilla,” Spanish for “without seeds.” The highest level of THC is contained in the tops of female plants that have not been fertilized. Harvesters look for these and eliminate parts of the plant that contain lower levels of THC. more
Sinsemilla started appearing in the mid 70’s, although it wasn’t as potent as today. And it’s darn near impossible to overdose on marijuana, but you can have some unpleasant side effects if you indulge too much.
Haven’t touched it for decades but my gal smokes it for pain relief so I took a hit a while back. Pretty damn strong like unable to function strong. Definitely not for me.
The big lie they told in CO to get it legalized was how their were going to be safe guards implemented to keep it out of the hands of teens. Such bullshit, within days of that passing I would see groups of young people in the mornings on their way to high school passing around joints.
I hired a couple teens to help in my studio and they were stoned all day long on edibles. Worthless, always late and sloppy. I gave up. And this was in a very conservative small town in the mountains called Canon City.
Meh. People drink booze too, and that crap has been fucking up livers, cars, and families since the dawn of time, not to mention being a leading cause of unintended pregnancies.
And if mom keeps drinking after getting pregnant, it will fuck up the baby for life as well.
Despite which, like pot, its considered socially acceptable as well.
Do the kids still pass the joint around in the age of Covid?
https://youtu.be/pSgGCOHuO1U
They told me 20th century marijuana was potent but I don’t remember.
Seems like an awful lot of folks hate their life so much that they want to spend it being oblivious.
Maybe suicide is the answer. More permanent oblivion, and less likey to kill someone else driving down the highway.
People use a lot of substances, often due to the superior ability to make assholes seem less obnoxious.
My Grandparents DID NOT smoke pot.
The crap is an hallucinogen and definitely will help lead to society’s downfall.
“But, but alcohol!”
Alcohol didn’t jump from 80 proof to 200 proof in the past decade.
Pot has SERIOUS consequences and does indeed kill people.
Worthless stoners are obvious and ubiquitous in cities that have made the crap legal.
Just wait until the shit gets laced with fentanyl…
All part of the plan to keep the populace stupid and lazy. I watched it ruin Oregon. And now other states are following the same path.
And AR-15s are more dangerous than flintlocks, and kids may get to then too.
Not all Karens are on the left but the arguments are all pretty much the same, freedom to do the things “they” agree with but nothing else.
It doesn’t matter one iota how dangerous something is, because it is not the government’s place to protect the people from their own choices.
Remember when conservatives wanted a cop on every corner? Now remember a patriot was gunned down in cold blood by one of those cops Jan 6.
Giving the state more power over the individual is a recipe for disaster. Marijuana is and always has been a tenth amendment issue for the states and people to decide on, just like abortion, gambling and prostitution.
Respond if you like but I’ve said all I have to say.
Enjoy the weekend!
Believe it. We see the effects in emergency rooms everywhere on everyday
Only an abject moron would smoke marijuana.
The last time that I smoked dope was on Labor Day weekend of 1975. I haven’t touched it since after God delivered me from becoming a lifelong stoner which I could’ve been if I hadn’t quit with God’s help. If I smoked the shit, they have now which is far more potent than the stuff we smoked back in the 70’s I’d probably be knocked out cold and become a total space cadet. No thanks, I learned my lesson once and don’t want to repeat it ever again. And besides the world does not need another dumbass stoned baby boomer who refused to grow up and is still smoking dope.
JustAl I agree. Moderation is the key. And I keep my edibles locked up next to my AR and 1911.
Wow!! Been gone for a bit and still plant bashing going on. Nice to know there are constants in the universe. 🙄
Anyway, here’s an idea for those choosing to indulge in such personal choices: if you know it’s stronger, just use less per smoke session. More weed doesn’t get you higher, it just gets you less weed. They make one-hitters for a reason.
“Plant bashing”
Bwahahahaha!
Are you REALLY that fucking ignorant?
@Blanco
However do you mean?