POT TOO STRONG

Re: "Marijuana not harmful? Not true?" (Opinion, May 12).

Today's pot is definitely not the pot of the 1960s or 1970s. Most of
today's pot is bio-engineered, chemically fertilized and treated to
produce a powerful substance with a very high THC content. Some
strains of marijuana have a THC content as high as 25 to 30 per cent.
The good pot from yesteryear maybe only had five to 10 per cent at
best.

Today's pot producer is not interested in your health or well-being.
All he wants is for you to get a bang for your buck, and for him to
get as much return from his investment as possible. There is no
standard or quality control whatsoever.

With the higher TCH content comes a different set of problems. The
hallucinogenic and addictive properties of the substance are enhanced
substantially. The effects on the new high-test pot can be very
detrimental to the young underdeveloped brain and older brain alike.
LSD-like effects can be experienced with long-lasting effects that can
lead to episodes.

Let's legalize pot and adopt standards to control THC and quality so
you can consume the stuff knowing that you won't flip out or get
poisoned by some chemical used in its production.

Tony Phillips, D.D.O.