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Pot is More Potent
July 8, 2010 Updated Jul 8, 2010 at 4:03 PM EDT

According to the latest report from the US Dept. of Health and Human Services, the number of marijuana users in drug treatment programs has tripled in the last ten years. However, the actual number of pot smokers is going down. So, how do you explain this paradox? It seems pot is getting more potent. The National Institute on Drug Abuse recently reported that the number of marijuana users in treatment is rising because the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana has risen. Sue Rusche, President of National Families in Action, says that "what they found is that the level of THC has now gone to about 8 ½ percent. What's important to understand about that is that's a drug four times more potent than the 2 percent THC content of all the marijuana that's used in research." Experts say it's more powerful and more addictive because the stronger the drug, the more quickly it gets to the brain.
The problem is, experts say, there are still too many adults who don't believe pot is a dangerous drug, "parents who grew up in the 70s and smoked a little pot need to understand that the drug their kids are using today is quite different, and 4 times stronger" says Rusche. She adds that parents should also know that the relapse rate for addicts is over 50 percent. That means that over half of people that leave treatment will continue using the drug. Experts add that remission for any addiction is a long term process and parents need to invest time and effort into keeping their kids safe and clean.

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