Saturday, May 15, 2010

The Increasing Potency of Marijuana

#6

Over the past five decades the levels of the active chemical in marijuana, T.H.C (Tetrahydrocannabinol) has increased drastically. The chemical T.H.C. is found in the trichomes, which are miniscule “mushroom shaped” crystals that grow from the flower of the plant. Growers illegal and legal alike are always striving to increase the level of potency in the plant, and now, with modern science it has become very easy. Government officials and scientist say that the average level of T.H.C. is now over 10%, as opposed to in 1983 when the supposed average level was fewer than 4%. This dramatic increase in T.H.C. levels is a direct result of what is called artificial selection. Artificial selection is defined as the selective breeding by humans of plants or animals in order to preserve selected and desired genetic traits. Artificial selection is used mainly in farming and animal breeding. When it comes to growing marijuana, levels of T.H.C. are increased by breeding two plants of the highest potency available. The result is a second generation with (hopefully) higher levels of T.H.C. than the parent generation. This process is then continued again from the second generation of plants. The plants with the highest levels of T.H.C. are again selected and bred to create a third generation. As the process continues the levels of T.H.C. are increased through each generation and the result is a species that is consistently more potent than the original parent plants. This method is often used in the practice of growing medicinal marijuana, which has become very popular in the west coast. For example: the famous, potent commercial medicinal strain of marijuana named “Grape Ape” was created by Apothecary Genetics and is a hybrid cross between Afghani and Skunk #1 strains of marijuana and is used as a relaxant and for pain relief. The increased potency of marijuana has caused the medicine to have great beneficial effects of people that use it for various reasons. Just imagine someone who has recently suffered the consequences of a car accident. This person may be prescribed various medications such a prozac, oxycontin and other dangerous addictive medications in order to help things such as depression and pain. Now imagine this same person being prescribed medicinal marijuana that can be either smoked or cooked into foods to treat these same conditions. This one naturally occurring plant is able to replace dangerously addictive chemically engineered drug that are distributed by pharmaceuticals across the world.

The same scientists that announced the dramatic increase of potency in marijuana say that although T.H.C. levels are considered very high now, they are only going to increase within the next five to ten years. It is said that in this timeframe level are expected to increase to upwards of about 15 percent on average. Science has turned the growing of marijuana from a natural occurrence to a highly regarded form of art. From artificial selection or horticulture and harvesting the growing of marijuana is only going to do good for the prescribed users of medicinal marijuana. Medicinal marijuana is an increasing form of relief of health problems that range anywhere from chronic pain to depression. Within the following link you can find a diagram of the human body labelling parts and the conditions that affect them that can be helped by medicinal marijuana (http://intraspec.ca/medical-marijuana.php).

References:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/14/marijuana.potency/index.html

http://intraspec.ca/medical-marijuana.php

“How Weed Won the West” (2010) Documentary Directed by Kevin Booth

1 comment:

  1. #3

    I really like how you talk about the levels of T.H.C in marijuana. I found it interesting that the levels increase from artificial selection. You talk about how people use marijuana for medicinal uses, for things such as chronic pain or depression, but one thing people usually don’t put in connection with medicinal marijuana is anorexia. One of the effects of the drug is being very hungry and want to always be eating, if people with anorexia use marijuana it will make them have these munchies, and hopefully let them gain weight. My questions are: Would the increased levels of T.H.C make marijuana more addictive? Out of all the marijuana users, how many use it legally for medicinal purposes? What are the long term effects of the higher levels of T.H.C?

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