Potency

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Title
Psychiatric symptoms caused by cannabis constituents: a systematic review and meta-analysis
02/08/2024

Summary: Significant psychiatric risks associated with high-THC cannabis concentrates, demonstrating that even in healthy adults, THC can induce a range of psychiatric symptoms, including psychosis. Given these findings, there's a strong argument for legislative action to limit THC potency in marijuana products to a maximum of 15% to safeguard public health. This precautionary measure is particularly crucial as the legal status of cannabis may lead individuals to perceive it as safe. Legislators have a responsibility to protect the public by implementing regulations that address the potency of cannabis products, prioritizing the well-being of those who may not be aware of the risks associated with high-THC consumption.


Potency, Psychosis
The contribution of cannabis use to variation in the incidence of psychotic disorder across Europe (EU-GEI): a multicentre case-control study
02/08/2024

Between May 1, 2010, and April 1, 2015, we obtained data from 901 patients with first-episode psychosis across 11 sites and 1237 population controls from those same sites. Daily cannabis use was associated with increased odds of psychotic disorder compared with never users, increasing to nearly five-times increased odds for daily use of high-potency types of cannabis" "Use of high-potency cannabis (THC ≥10%) Use of high-potency cannabis was a strong predictor of psychotic disorder in Amsterdam, London, and Paris where high-potency cannabis was widely available"


Potency
CANNABIS: DRUG OF ABUSE AND THERAPEUTIC AGENT, TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN
05/27/2023

The evidence presented in this review allows us to conclude that Δ9-THC and CBD produce biphasic, dose-dependent effects on several physiological responses. The biphasic nature of cannabinoid effects highlights the need for a careful analysis of the dose ranges separating therapeutic from unwanted effects. Besides, Δ9-THC produces dependence and harmful effects, while CBD does not.
The available pharmaceutical formulations of these phytocannabinoids and related molecules have clear therapeutic effects; however, more research is needed to assure their efficacy and safety since their effects are complex. Several additional potential therapeutic applications, mainly for CBD, are being proposed which, however, still lack sufficient clinical and preclinical support. For this reason, caution is advised when using or prescribing cannabinoids.
Additional consideration deserves the fact that the ECS participates in the development of the central nervous system98. Therefore, the use of cannabinoid-based formulations for the medical treatment of children and adolescents experiencing brain developmental changes must be carefully examined, balancing the pros and cons of prescribing cannabinoid-based medications in every single case. Cannabis research field is expanding with the identification of new molecular targets, the characterization of undescribed phytocannabinoids, and novel findings related to the ECS99. In addition, consumption of synthetic cannabinoids as drugs of abuse represents a new challenge in addiction research100.


Potency, study, Research, THC levels
How Weed Became the New OxyContin
04/25/2023

Dr. Roneet Lev- Years ago, she advocated against the overprescription of opioid painkillers like OxyContin. Now, she believes she’s seeing the same thing all over again: the specious claims of medical benefits, the denial of adverse effects. “From Big Tobacco to Big Pharma to Big Marijuana—it’s the same people, and the same pattern.”
Today, teenagers are “dabbing” a product that’s three, four, or five times stronger, (than 30 years ago) and are often doing so multiple times a day. At that level of potency, the impact of the drug on a user’s brain belongs to an entirely different category of risk than smoking a joint or taking a bong rip of even an intensively bred marijuana flower. It’s highly addictive, and over time, there’s a significant chance it can drive you insane.


Potency, Delta-8
Joints, grams and potency
02/14/2023

If you're smoking a joint to enjoy the psychoactive effects of THC, then you might want to know how much of the potent cannabinoid is in a typical smoke. Here you'll learn how to calculate the amount of THC in a joint and understand what percentage of the cannabinoid your body is actually processing. 
The weight of the joint (in milligrams) multiplied by potency/THC percentage equals total milligrams of THC. 
One gram = 1000 milligrams. 
Example: The difference between a half gram and full gram joint of the same 20% THC flower:
1 gram: 1000 mg x 0.20 = 200 mg
Half gram: 500 mg x 0.20 = 100 mg
If you'd rather skip the math equations, a modern joint may contain between 60 to 150 mg of THC or more, representing a sharp increase from the approximately 10 mg common in the 1970s. 
The above formulas tell us how much THC is in a joint, but they tell us nothing about how much your body is absorbing from the joint. According to Rae, this number will depend on several factors that differ among individuals. These factors include:

  • Composition of the joint, i.e., ratio of THC to CBD
  • How much THC is wasted in sidestream smoke which wafts off at the end of a joint without being consumed, unlike mainstream smoke which is what you directly inhale and exhale
  • Smoking topography, aka your puff technique
  • Bioavailability (the proportion of THC that is able to activate the brain, after being introduced into the body and entering the bloodstream)

Rae elaborated on the key components of mainstream and sidestream smoke, saying, “The ratio of mainstream to sidestream smoke produced by a joint is highly variable because of differences in puff techniques. There are several factors in an individual puff. The volume of smoke per puff is typically about 35 milliliters but can be as big as 55 milliliters (for context, the volume of a shot glass is about 40 milliliters). This volume is determined by the force and amount of time a person inhales.”
Mainstream smoke is also affected by the frequency of inhalations, as Rae said, “Puffing more frequently increases the amount of THC consumed in mainstream smoke, and thus diminishes the amount of THC wasted in sidestream smoke.”
Ultimately, bioavailability is calculated by measuring the THC in the blood, and comparing that to how much THC you started with in the joint. Referencing research published in 2007 in the journal Chemistry & Biodiversity, Rae added, “Bioavailability is highly variable for inhalation: experiments in humans show that it ranges from 2% to 56% depending on the person.”
To illustrate bioavailability, Rae provided the following examples using one gram joints and half gram joints.

  • One gram joint = 200 mg THC. On the low end, 2%: 200 x 0.02 = 4 mg. On the high end, 56%: 200 x 0.56 = 112 mg.
    The bioavailable THC in a 1 gram joint with 20% THC is between 4  and 112 milligrams.
    Half gram joint = 100 mg THC. On the low end, 2%: 100 x 0.02 = 2 mg. On the high end, 56%: 100 x 0.56 = 56 mg.
    The bioavailable THC in a half-gram joint with 20% THC is between 2 and 56 milligrams

Potency
Marijuana Potency - Calculator
06/26/2022

The potency is high often 120 mg which is extremely hight!

Delta-8 Products are often made with 120mg of THC. 

Below is the potency of smoking methods.  However, edibles are often 5 TIMES STRONGER.

 

 

 


Delta-8, Potency
Neuropsychiatric effects of cannabis toxicity in the emergency department: A community-based study
11/14/2021

[1]. In 2018 Michigan legalized the use of marijuana for adults. Since this law took effect, increased availability and use of cannabis have led to an increase in emergency department (ED) visits, as well as complaints about the drug's neuropsychiatric effects [2]. High doses of cannabis can be associated with undesired effects such as paranoia, psychotic-like symptoms, and panic attacks, depending on the content of its principal active constituent, D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and that of cannabidiol, a constituent with anti-anxiolytic properties [3]. Higher concentrations of THC relative to cannabidiol, as demonstrated in many commercial products, are associated with increased incidence of psychotomimetic symptoms [4,5]. Various studies in adults with acute THC exposure have shown a dose-related reduction in performance at laboratory tasks measuring memory, divided and sustained attention or concentration, reaction time, and tracking and motor function [3,6-9]. Less is known regarding the acute effects of THC in the pediatric population, and much of the

data that currently exist involve retrospective reviews of large, coded data sets [10-12]. The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence, clinical features, and disposition of cannabis neuropsychiatric toxicity in a community-based study.


ScienceDirect, Potency, emergency room
cannabis use to variation in the incidence of psychotic disorder across Europe
03/19/2019

In conclusion, our findings confirm previous evidence of the harmful effect on mental health of daily use of cannabis, especially of high-potency types. Importantly, they indicate for the first time how cannabis use affects the incidence of psychotic disorder. Therefore, it is of public health importance to acknowledge alongside the potential medicinal properties of some cannabis constituents the potential adverse effects that are associated with daily cannabis use, especially of high-potency varieties.


Research, study, Lancet, Potency, Psychosis, cannabis-induced psychosis
Daily Marijuana Use And Highly Potent Weed Linked To Psychosis
03/19/2019

The study authors consider high-potency cannabis to be products with more than 10 percent tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the compound responsible for the drug's psychoactive effects. The fact that consuming high-THC cannabis products has a greater risk is concerning, Lisdahl says, because these products are more common in the market now.

Now a new study published Tuesday in the The Lancet Psychiatry shows that consuming pot on a daily basis and especially using high-potency cannabis increases the odds of having a psychotic episode later.


study, Potency, Lancet, Psychosis
The Role of the Physician in “Medical” Marijuana
05/15/2017

 All cannabis‐based and cannabinoid medications should be subjected to the  rigorous scrutiny of the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory process.  This process provides important protections for patients, making medications available  only when they: 1) are standardized by identity, purity, potency and quality; 2) are accompanied by adequate directions for use in the approved medical indication; and 3)  have risk/benefit profiles that have been defined in well‐controlled clinical trials. 


asam, Potency, cannabis
Risks of increasingly potent Cannabis: The joint effects of potency and frequency
02/02/2017

Cannabis potency has risen significantly over the past several decades, with available evidence pointing to an increased risk of Cannabis use disorder, psychosis, acute cognitive impairment, and structural brain changes with use of high-potency Cannabis. Clinicians should consider asking patients who use marijuana about potency to better assess risk of psychiatric adverse effects.


Potency
The Clinical Conundrum of Medical Marijuana
01/06/2017

Detailed Information
. Patients freely share their “medicine” with family and friends, and parents are self-diagnosing, and subsequently dosing their children with high-concentration marijuana products for conditions that may simply not exist (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, etc.); or allow their medical cards to expire and continue to grow their own.
The use of marijuana for medical conditions, including pain, needs robust studies, and subsequent products need more regulation and consistency for public consumption. Colorado is an example of the societal effect across a wide spectrum of arenas that comes with rampant cannabis use, particularly in youth use and impaired driving fatalities. The problems Colorado is seeing completely transcend “responsible use” or “marijuana as medicine.” 

 


Potency, Studies, driving, Finn, MD, 2017 Legislation
Not Your Mom’s Pot: How Increased Potency Has Changed Marijuana Consumption
08/05/2016

Marijuana is typically four-times stronger than it was a couple decades ago. On top of the boosted potency, since legalization, growers have been able to refine their skills to grow strains for unique and specific ailments. Not to mention the exploding market of concentrates and dab culture.

 


Potency, THC, THC levels
Marijuana or Alcohol: Which is more harmful?
05/19/2016

PowerPoint Presentation comparing Marijuana & Alcohol,


alcohol, harm, Potency, Pharmacokinetics, powerpoint
Why Is It So Hard To Test Whether Drivers Are Stoned?
02/09/2016

The simple fact that THC is fat soluble. That makes it absorbed in a very different way and much more difficult to relate behavior to, say, [blood] levels of THC or develop a breathalyzer."  The height of your intoxication isn't at the moment when blood THC levels peak, and the high doesn't rise and fall uniformly based on how much THC leaves and enters your bodily fluids, says Marilyn Huestis, who headed the chemistry and drug metabolism section at the National Institute on Drug Abuse.


Potency, impaired, drugged driving, DUI
Potent Pot: Marijuana Is Stronger Now Than It Was 20 Years Ago
02/08/2016

Pot is becoming more potent, a new study suggests.
In the study, the researchers looked at more than 38,600 samples of illegal marijuana seized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration over 20 years. They found that the level of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol— marijuana's main psychoactive ingredient — in the marijuana samples rose from about 4 percent in 1995 to about 12 percent in 2014.
Conversely, the level of CBD, or cannabidiol — an ingredient sometimes touted for its potential health benefits — fell from about 0.28 percent in 2001 to less than 0.15 percent in 2014.
But smoking marijuana with high doses of THC may involve a higher risk of negative health effects, such as psychosis orpanic attacks, he said.
"Great article- clearly based on the previous posted comments  marijuana severely impairs a person's ability to understand and process information. Their anecdotal evidence continues to validate scientific statistics. " -No2Pot


CBD, Psychosis, Potency
Study: High-potency marijuana linked with neural damage
11/28/2015

"We found that frequent use of high-potency cannabis significantly affects the structure of white matter fibres in the brain, whether you have psychosis or not," 
The main psychoactive ingredient in weed, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is much more concentrated in modern skunk strains as compared to traditional pot and hash -- up 14 percent as compared to 4 percent.


Studies, Brain, Potency
Legalization of Marijuana- Impact Report
09/01/2015

See report for details, graphs, data.


Colorado, Potency, youth usage, vehicle, social costs, Business
Where There’s Smoke …
08/22/2015

Marijuana use by kids between the ages of 12 and 17 is 58 percent higher in Colorado than the national average, according to the RHMIDTA. The rate of use among college-age adults is 54 percent above the national average. Drug-related suspensions from Colorado schools jumped 34 percent from the 2005-2009 period to the 2010-2014 period, while alcohol-related suspensions stayed flat.
 "Everything they said would happen has not," says Gorman. "They said alcohol use would go down. Alcohol use went up. They said it would eliminate the (marijuana) black market. We are the black market. The trends show that legalization is not working."
 


youth, Colorado, college, Potency, legalization, alcohol
Many Medical Marijuana Edibles May Have Inaccurate Labels
06/23/2015

The majority of the products we tested were inaccurately labeled," said study author Ryan Vandrey, of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.


edibles, Potency
THC extracts concentrate problems
06/07/2015

The proliferation of foods infused or coated with THC has become a growing concern, even among some marijuana advocates. Several high-profile marijuana crimes and deaths involve consumption of edible THC products.
“When THC is available in food, it’s even harder for people to see it as a drug,” Lewis said. “But it is a drug. It is a depressant, a hallucinogen and an addictive substance that changes chemistry in the brain. Research shows all of the above.”


clearing the haze, Potency, THC levels
Marijana is not Harmless
05/03/2015

Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals. The primary psychoactive chemical is delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and is the component of marijuana principally responsible for the “high” experienced by pot smokers. Along with the high, users exhibit slower reflexes and decreased coordination. Marijuana also impairs judgment. Slower reaction times, impaired judgment, and problems responding to signals and sounds equal dangerous drivers. No wonder those who drive within three hours of smoking marijuana are twice as likely to be involved in a major car crash.


chemicals, vehicle, Potency
CAN YOU SMELL A SKUNK IN THE STINKY CLAIMS FOR MARIJUANA?
04/04/2015
THC, CBD, Potency
Marijuana three times stronger than in the 1980s, lab tests report.
03/26/2015
Colorado-0, Potency, THC
Colorado Marijuana Study Finds Legal Weed Contains Potent THC Levels
03/23/2015

In old-school dope, levels of THC — the psychoactive chemical that makes people high — were typically well below 10 percent. But in Colorado's legal bud, the average THC level is 18.7 percent, and some retail pot contains 30 percent THC or more, according to research released Monday.
"This shows that marijuana is a GMO product just like other products sold by big business. And just like other industries, now you have a big marijuana industry determined to hide these findings from the public. Where is their outcry? Where are the promises to change the way they do business?" 


Potency, Colorado, GMO
Medical Marijuana: The State of the Science
02/03/2015

State of the Science   190 resources
Several problems are associated with marijuana use during pregnancy, because prenatal exposure influences brain development and can result in permanent cognitive impairment. [35] Cognitive deficits resulting from prenatal exposure include inattention; impulsivity; and impairment in learning, memory, and certain aspects of executive functioning. [36] In addition, prenatal exposure to cannabis has been associated with reduction of fetal growth. [37]
For many years, the myth of smoked cannabis being "healthier" or "no worse" than smoked tobacco was perpetuated by pro­marijuana groups. Both smoked cannabis and tobacco contain approximately 4000 chemicals and that these chemicals are essentially identical in both plants.In another recent review, [23] the authors concluded that "smoking of cannabis is not medically recommended due to the potential respiratory tract, dangers of noxious compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, tar and carbon monoxide."
 
 


Potency, Studies, lungs, cigarettes, Pregnancy
Ed Wood- FL per se law
02/01/2015

Based upon the foregoing evidence, this author has a clear preference for zero tolerance laws to deal with the increasing scourge of DUID.  The increasingly accepted Libertarian view is that such laws criminalize personal choices that cause no harm to citizens other than the drug consumer.  Laws requiring probable cause be first established before requiring a blood sample theoretically alleviate this concern, but are unconvincing to opponents of zero-tolerance laws.  Adoption of New Zealand’s approach is suggested as a means of gaining acceptance of zero tolerance laws without unduly harming Libertarian sensitivities.


Wood, Potency, 2017 Legislation, THC levels, THC
Futile Search
02/01/2015

The fact is that there is no level of THC in blood above which everyone is impaired, and below which no one is impaired.  This is not because we need more studies; it’s because of human biology. Consider the following three factors.


Wood, Potency, 2017 Legislation, THC levels, THC
Legalise cannabis – and children will pay the price
07/07/2014

The emerging marijuana industry in Colorado is trying to appeal to teenagers by offering cannabis-infused soda, chocolate taffy and jujubes.


youth, mafia, Potency, Colorado, edibles
Charlotte’s Web law far different from Amendment 2
06/19/2014
Charlotte's Web, Potency
Editorial: Not your father’s marijuana
06/11/2014

The paper points out that the potency of marijuana has increased fourfold since the 1980s and can hardly be compared to the less harmful drug millions of pot smokers used decades ago.
And opponents point to Colorado and Washington, where the passage of medical marijuana in 2000 and 1998, respectively, were followed by the passage of recreational marijuana laws in 2012.


Potency, recreational
Is Pot Getting More Potent?
04/02/2014
Potency, impaired
A Look Inside Colorado’s Pot Industry
03/30/2014

We welcomed in a new industry that knowingly promotes an addictive and harmful substance SO THAT PEOPLE COULD MAKE MONEY. The business of business is to make money and when there is money to be made people will signup no matter how messed up the means are. 
For these businesses to continue making the huge money they are making they will need to do two things: 1) engage new users, 2) convert current users to more frequent users.
Our weed in Colorado is so strong (20-30 percent THC in its smoked form) that we have a strain called “green crack.”
Our concentrates, which are advertised aggressively, are 80-90 percent THC, and are often smoked on a super-heated needle and puts the smoker on their back with one hit.  Our edibles come in gummies, fruit sodas, suckers, candy and yummy looking baked goods that are so potent that a single pot brownie in Colorado comes with a warning that it has to be cut into fourths before consuming.


Colorado-0, edibles, Potency
Has the potency of pot changed since President Obama was in high school?
01/21/2014

Marijuana today is "genetically modified," with THC levels that "far surpass the marijuana" of the 1970s.    YES

The number of samples confiscated with a THC concentration greater than 9 percent has increased significantly, from 3.2 percent in 1993 to 21.5 percent of the 1,635 marijuana samples collected in 2007.


Potency, kennedy, obama, GMO
Potency of Marijuana
05/03/2013
Potency, Psychoactive
Everything you needed to know about CBD
04/20/2013

There is absolutely no reliable scientific evidence that THC is necessary to synergize the effects of CBD. Instead, there is evidence from preclinical research that THC may be pro-convulsant in sensitive brains; other research indicates that chronic use of THC can impair IQ in adolescents. Physicians are beginning to report instances of THC toxicity in children taking “high CBD” preparations, e.g., high anxiety, increased seizures, insomnia, etc. Until more is known, the most conservative course of action would be to remove THC entirely from a CBD product.


CBD, SAM, Potency, THC
Marijuana potency surpasses 10 percent, U.S. says
05/14/2009
Potency
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