Is Today’s Marijuana the Same as In the ’70’s?
In the 1970’s, marijuana was known as the “hippie drug.” It was highly stigmatized and avoided by most Americans, but was relatively harmless when smoked in small amounts.
With its recent legalization, marijuana is more available than it’s ever been. Is marijuana the same as it was fifty years ago?
More Potent
According to NewScientist, “the data we have suggest that today’s drug is much stronger than the weed of even a few years ago, let alone several decades prior.” In fact, in the “last 50 years, the average amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabis… has increased more than tenfold.”
New Breeding Techniques
Marijuana has become a highly sophisticated breeding system that cultivates increasingly higher potencies in the cannabis plants. “Strains these days contain up to 30% THC levels,” Says Herb.com. “Modern cannabis strains are specifically bred to max out on THC levels, mainly appeasing the “get as high as you possibly can” culture.” To put this in perspective, THC in marijuana fifty years ago was between 1% and 3%.
New Methods of Consumption
In the 1970’s, the only way to consume marijuana was to smoke it. However, today we have several different methods, including vaping, which has an even higher concentration level of THC than regular smoking. Edibles, tinctures, topicals, and concentrates make it possible to consume THC throughout the day without smoking, making us far more dependent (or intoxicated) than we realize.
More Accessible
Smoking marijuana in the 1970’s was highly stigmatized, but today it is legal just about everywhere. 42 states allow marijuana use for medical reasons, and 24 states allow it for recreational use. With increasing legality, it’s more accessible than ever.
However, accessibility doesn’t indicate safety. With marijuana having 10x more THC than fifty years ago, anyone consuming marijuana should consider the side effects on their mental and physical health. Marijuana can affect how employees perform their jobs, and employers should stay vigilant in keeping their workplace safe.
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