BOOMERS, BEWARE: POT MORE POTENT NOW

Agency Warns About Drug's 'Harmless' Image

The Office of National Drug Control Policy is warning baby boomers the
marijuana their children could be smoking is not the same as the drug
of their generation.

Studies by the University of Mississippi's Potency Monitoring Project
found the levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in marijuana seized
throughout the country have more than doubled since the 1960s.

"It's very serious. Marijuana is a huge blind spot among many
Americans, particularly baby boomer parents," Rafael Lemaitre, the
agency's deputy press secretary, said. "Many parents grew up in the
'60s and '70s, where the image of the drug was that of a harmless
drug, and clearly, things have changed."

Potency has doubled since the mid-'80s. According to the latest data
on seized marijuana samples, the average amount of THC has reached a
new high of 9.6 percent, compared to an average of a little less than
4 percent in 1983, the office reported.

"We like to call it 'Pot 2.0' because it reflects the dramatic
increases in potency," Lemaitre said. "It's not that it creates a
different kind of high. We're seeing dramatic changes in consequences
of youth."

Teens are said to be at a higher risk for negative effects because
their brains are still developing. Lemaitre said some teens use
marijuana to alleviate depression, but the drug can actually compound
the problem.

Adverse Effects

A virtual tour of a brain on the department's Web site shows THC's
effects on the limbic system, which influences emotional behavior and
memory. It is the brain center most influenced by marijuana, the
department says, potentially resulting in depression, withdrawal, a
short attention span, lack of motivation and suicidal thoughts.

Frank Tasciotti, the assistant coordinator of the Dutch-ess County
Drug Task Force, said marijuana is considered a hallucinogen.

"The part marijuana plays in investigation is important as any other
drug - there's just as much marijuana sales," Tasciotti said.

The Internet has also provided more ways to access the botanical tips
for growing marijuana. High Times magazine now publishes online. The
magazine offers information on different varieties of marijuana, such
as Northern Lights, and how to purchase starter kits and advanced
growing supplies.

"The techniques for marijuana growing are so sophisticated now,"
Tasciotti said. "They grow hydroponically, which is much stronger,
isolate the seeds and do quite a bit of genetic engineering."

He said marijuana use in the area is fairly equal across the board in
terms of the age.