A new review of studies has revealed that higher levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) lead more users to become addicted to the drug. THC is the part of the plant that causes the “high.”
Higher-potency marijuana users are more likely to become addicted and have mental health issues. Lower potency products usually have THC levels in the 5-10 milligrams of THC per gram range. These results were published recently in the journal Lancet Psychiatry.
Standard THC Unit
Scientists have set a standard THC unit of 5 mg for research purposes. At this level, non-regular cannabis users will likely experience “mild intoxication.”
Tom Freeman, the study’s co-author, explained that one of the reviewed studies found that users of high-potency marijuana had a four-fold risk of addiction. Freeman is a senior lecturer at the University of Bath, United Kingdom, Department of Psychology. He is also the director of the addiction and mental health group at the University.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 30% of marijuana users live with cannabis use disorder (marijuana addiction).
• Over the past ten years, the number of people entering treatment programs for cannabis addiction jumped by 76% (The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction). During the same period, cannabis potency also continued to rise.
• In the past 20 years, the proportion of people asking for cannabis addiction treatment has increased worldwide, except for African countries (United Nations report).
Marijuana Potency Increases Year Over Year
THC concentrations have increased by about 2.9 grams annually. Marijuana users smoke the harvested and dried tops of female marijuana plants.
The concentration of THC in cannabis resin (sticky brown sap used to make extracts and concentrations) has surged by about 5.7 milligrams annually from 1975-2017, according to the study. Concentrated products may contain very high levels of THC.
Product labels may tell consumers the precise level of THC in a product they wish to buy in jurisdictions where cannabis may be sold legally. People who are buying cannabis products illegally may not have access to this type of information. Cannabis extracts are generally more potent than cannabis flowers.
Some users try to adjust the amount of THC they are ingesting by making their marijuana joints smaller or inhaling less deeply when they smoke. These methods aren’t reliable in moderating the amount of THC the user consumes. Higher-potency cannabis products deliver a more significant amount of THC to consumers than lower-potency ones.
Mental Health Impacted by Higher Dose Products
As marijuana became more potent over time, marijuana-associated psychosis cases increased. Freeman explained that psychosis is a loss of contact with reality, and symptoms can include hearing voices and delusions. The link between high-potency marijuana use to addiction and psychosis is quite clear.
A 2020 study has found that high-potency cannabis users are more likely to develop Generalized Anxiety Disorder than users who smoke strains with lower levels of THC. A new study review concluded that the link between marijuana potency, depression, and anxiety is unclear for these mental health issues.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/25/health/marijuana-potency-addiction-study-wellness/index.html