CANNABIS POTENCY .. by Paul Dillon

[Frazz]

In recent times stories have done the rounds of super-strength cannabis or skunk that can be up to 20 or 30 times more potent than it was a decade ago. New research released in the UK last week suggests that although there does appear to be a small rise in potency, there is little evidence that super-strength skunk is dominating the market.

 

Two studies analysed nearly 550 samples of so-called skunk seized by the police. Both concluded that the average content of the main psychoactive agent in skunk strains of cannabis, THC, has doubled from seven percent in 1995 to 14 percent in 2005, contradicting recent claims that most of the skunk on sale in Britain now routinely has a THC content of more than 30 percent. One of the studies showed that only four percent of the skunk that had been seized by the police had a strength level higher than 20 percent, with the strongest sample containing 24 percent THC.

 

Recent evidence has shown that little of the cannabis grown in the UK is “super-strength skunk”. The majority is less potent – in fact, research in the UK found that most of the cannabis on sale contained only three to four percent THC, unchanged from a decade ago.

 

So why do people believe that cannabis is so much stronger than it used to be? Talk to long-term cannabis users and many of them will tell you they do believe their drug of choice is much more potent than when they first started using it. As has been said, it would seem that cannabis is indeed slightly stronger. However, most experts believe there is another factor at play – the part of the plant that is smoked. One of the most significant changes in the cannabis market over the past decade is the increased availability of flowering heads or buds, i.e. the strongest part of the plant.

 

Years ago, the only part of the plant that was available was leaf – having comparatively low levels of THC. Now that people are more likely to smoke flowering heads, it makes sense that they experience more of an effect and believe the drug is more potent than ever before.

 

Remember: if you do not want any negative consequences, do not use the drug and, no matter how many times you have used a substance, never be blasé.

 

Author:Paul Dillon

Date: 4/10/07

Source: Sydney Star Observer - Issue 887

Copyright: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Community Publishing Limited.

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Also from Holland a related News item

 

 

NIS News Bulletin

Dutch Cannabis a Bit Less Powerful

 

 

UTRECHT, 03/10/07 - The strength of the cannabis sold in the tolerated Dutch drugs bars known as 'coffee shops' has decreased. The level of THC, the main constituent, has dropped from 17.5 percent in 2006 to 16 percent in 2007, according to figures presented by the Trimbos Institute yesterday.

 

Since 1999, Trimbos has carried out research for the Health Ministry into the strength of cannabis products sold in the 'coffee shops'. Until 2004, the THC content increased substantially, to more than 20 percent. "Since then, a swing has taken place."

 

The THC level is nevertheless still many times that of cannabis that grows naturally, which generally has values of 2 to 5 percent. The strength of the Dutch 'weed' is so high due to sophisticated cultivation techniques and equipment, which is freely available in shops.

 

For the first time since the measurements started in 1999, the price of cannabis has gone up. The price was even 20 percent higher than last year. The price of imported hash also rose.

 

The average price of one gram of cannabis is now 7.30 euros. "The higher price and the drop in THC content are probably the result of the intensified efforts of the police to trace cannabis growers. The decrease in supply leads to a higher purchase price for the coffee shops," Trimbos explained.

 

Another striking result is the substantial drop in the THC content of imported hash. This decreased from 18.7 percent in 2006 to 13.3 percent in 2007. There was also a slight price rise, from 7.30 to 7.70 euros on average.

 

"It is possible that climatic conditions in the country of origin, in most cases Morocco, led to a poorer harvest, resulting in lower hashish proceeds. Another possibility is that the more stringent policies in Morocco in relation to hashish have led to reduced income and fewer exports."

 

Author: http://www.nisnews.nl/

Date: 5 Oct 2007

Source: NIS news Bulletin

Copyright: © 1993-2007 Netherlands Info Services bv

Oude Vlijmenseweg 287, 5223 GM 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands

 

 

[Pam]

7% to 14 to 17.5 and back down to 16%.... ? I wonder what it actually is.

I read recently that the Dutch government is raiding and busting indoor grows or "farms" as they called them.

It's not illegal to smoke, have, or sell weed there, but you go to jail for growing it???

They're almost as bad as the US!

[sunnycoaststoner]

could it be that they have reached the point where they have crossed and crossed and grown out generations and the strains are decreasing potency like if you regrow something more than around 7-8 times, the yield starts to decrease and the potency drops??

[DownUnderDoper]

For the Aussie perspective

 

Australian Medical Association's Position Statement on Cannabis 2006

Comparative Strength of Cannabis Compared with that used since 1970’s

 

There has been much speculation that the cannabis being smoked by today’s young people is

stronger than that smoked by their parents. There is no Australian evidence to this effect. However

young people are more likely to smoke their cannabis through a ‘bong’ than a ‘joint’ and there is some

evidence that they have a tendency to smoke the heads of the cannabis plant as opposed to the

leaves, compared with older users. These two factors combine to increase young people’s exposure

to higher levels of THC.

 

 

Mental Health Council of Australia report "Where there's smoke - Cannabis and mental health"

There is much conjecture surrounding the increasing potency (and possible contamination) of cannabis,

including the following:

• Cannabis potency, particularly of strains of European-bred sinsemella, has increased dramatically

• Cannabis products sold today are more ‘manicured’ to include only the more potent heads

• Indoor hydroponically grown cannabis is more potent (possibly because the crystalline resin droplets found

on the heads of the plant are not removed by wind)

• Hydroponically grown cannabis often contains fertilisers that are not properly ‘flushed’ from the plant

before harvest

• Growers of hydroponic cannabis use toxic pesticides that remain in the end product and cause health problems

 

There is evidence that the first two points contain some truth. However, most of Australia’s cannabis is grown

locally and it is believed that only a small proportion is the European sinsemella which is known to have

increased dramatically in potency in the last couple of decades.

The second point is undoubtedly true, though there is evidence that younger users prefer stronger forms

of cannabis, typically heads, while older users tend to choose the less potent leaf of the plant (Copeland et

al., 2004). These researchers also point to data from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey which

indicates that young people in the 14-19 year age group have a much higher use of bongs (water pipes), a

form of smoking that enables maximum THC absorption. These data could mean that young cannabis users

are exposed to greater levels of THC than older users. The question of whether this is a new phenomenon

would need to be validated by following users for many years in a longitudinal study, as it is possible that

people tend to use milder forms as they age.

In relation to the last three points, Copeland et al. (2004) conclude that there has been no systematic

investigation and are unable to provide any evidence.

Professor Wayne Hall (personal correspondence, 2006) also points to the absence of good data on changes

in the potency of cannabis. Testing is not required by law and is therefore not done consistently, and the

media tend to publicise unusual cases. US data show modest increase in levels of THC from 3% in early

1980s to 4% in late 1990s.

 

 

Australian National Council on Drugs - Cannabis: Answers to your questions.

Evidence for change in strength (potency) of cannabis

 

Although there have been reports that cannabis is now “30 times stronger” than it used to be, evidence from Australia, New Zealand and the United States indicates only small to moderate rises in average THC levels in cannabis plants. Testing over the past two decades shows average THC levels in the United States being just over 6%, with a slightly lower figure (2–4%) in New Zealand. Unlike New Zealand and the United States, Australia has no program for testing cannabis potency and our information comes from police seizures and small independent studies that have produced varying results. In some cases, testing has revealed quite high THC levels but in the majority of Australian cannabis samples tested, THC levels have remained relatively low, under 5% THC, throughout the last 20 years.

 

 

Australian National Council on Drugs - Evidence-based answers to cannabis questions, a review of the literature

Evidence for change in strength (potency) of cannabis.

 

There has been controversial speculation in Australia and the United States that the THC content of cannabis has increased up to thirty-fold during the past two decades, and that this has contributed to reported increases in cannabis-related harm, particularly in young regular users. Although this is a tempting argument, it is as yet unsubstantiated by research. In fact,

cannabis potency monitoring has shown only small increases in THC over the past few decades.

 

National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre - Fact Sheet - Cannabis Potency

 

It cannot be determined whether the cannabis used here in Australia has become more potent over time because there is no data on this. The increase in health problems is probably more likely to be due to the increased popularity of using stronger parts of the plant. While cannabis users in the 1970s were most likely to smoke the leaves, cannabis users today prefer to smoke the more potent flowering tops, or buds of the plant. To sum up, the strength of cannabis may have increased by a small amount over the last 25 years, but it is very unlikely that it has become 30 times stronger.