Canada 'sells US high-grade pot'

BBC ^ | Apr 15th 2004 | BBC

[gawd]

Canada is a major exporter of high-potency marijuana, according to the man who leads the US war on drugs.

White House "drug czar" John Walters says new cultivation methods mean marijuana sold today in the US is much stronger than in the 1960s.

"We have a growing problem with the expansion of particularly high-potency marijuana coming from Canada," he said.

Last year the drug produced in British Columbia alone was worth $9bn and most of it was exported to the US, he added.

High-grade marijuana is grown in nutrient-rich solutions rather than soil, and sells for as much as cocaine, according to Mr Walters, who heads the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Canada is exporting to us the crack of marijuana and it is a dangerous problem John Walters Director of US Office of National Drug Control Policy

Today's pot is on average seven times more potent "than the marijuana baby-boomer parents may remember from their days of use or experimentation", he told reporters.

He said the change had led to a doubling of hospital emergency cases involving marijuana.

Mr Walters added: "Canada is exporting to us the crack of marijuana and it is a dangerous problem."

The Bush administration has criticised Canadian plans to reduce sentences for people caught with small amounts of marijuana.

Canada denies being a major contributor the United States' drug problem.

Ottawa says Washington's own data shows that of all the illegal marijuana seized by US agents, only 1.5% came from Canada.

[headsonpikes]

British Columbia is the one place on earth from whence it never looks greener elsewhere. ;^)

Long live the Czar!

[Lexington Green]

"Canada is exporting to us the crack of marijuana and it is a dangerous problem.'
John Walters
Director of US Office of National Drug Control Policy


Walters needs his meds adjusted..

[Wolfie]

Ottawa says Washington's own data shows that of all the illegal marijuana seized by US agents, only 1.5% came from Canada.

Most of what Walters says regarding marijuana can be de-bunked by simply visiting the DEA's own website.

[gawd]

British Columbia is the one place on earth from whence it never looks greener elsewhere. ;^)

there's some good weed to be had in BC, brother ;)

[Eva]

I heard on CBC radio this morning that Canada is also breeding Al Qaeda members. A Candian family who has been living in Afganistan for years, has returned with their crippled son, who was injured while fighting for the Taliban and is now fighting to get free healthcare from Canada.

Elsewhere in Canada, a Muslim woman is running for public office in Toronto on the sole experience of having secured her husband's freedom from US detention for terror related activities. The leftist groups which back her say that fighting the dreaded US and winning is enough experience for anyone.

[Hodar]

Today's pot is on average seven times more potent "than the marijuana baby-boomer parents may remember from their days of use or experimentation", he told reporters.

Duh. This is what the war on drugs creates. Due to the profit:risk ratios, drug dealers must make the drugs more potent (so less does more) to offset losses made by the gov't confiscation.

The EXACT same thing came about during prohibition. Prior to Prohibition, beer and wine were the bulk of alcoholic drinks. During Prohibition, whiskey came into popularity. To make the alcohol even more profitable, 'Mixers' came into vogue (Gin, Boubon and Everclear).

The steps are predictable. First you 'condense' your product. Secondly, you invent new drugs that are not presently illegal. Thirdly, you increase the 'desireablility' factor of the drugs; so demand is kept high.

Never, in the history of mankind; has Prohibition worked. It didn't work 3,000 years ago, it didn't work in the Roaring 40's; and it's not working today.

[laotzu]

"He said the change had led to a doubling of hospital emergency cases involving marijuana"

What?!! Marijuana overdose?

If I was lounging in a lawn-chair in my front yard, smoking a joint; and the engine of a passing 747 tumbled from the sky and crushed me.......it would be ruled another drug related death.

[headsonpikes]

I live in the Kootenays, where folks love to garden.

The stuff's given away like fresh vegetables locally.

Well, the shake and small buds are. ;^)

[Delta 21]

[Wolfie]

If I was lounging in a lawn-chair in my front yard, smoking a joint; and the engine of a passing 747 tumbled from the sky and crushed me.......it would be ruled another drug related death.

Actually, using Walters' method, if someone told them that you smoked a joint the month before you got crushed, it would still go down as a drug-related inicident. This is not an exaggeration, its exactly how the ER data was collected.

[John H K]

He said the change had led to a doubling of hospital emergency cases involving marijuana.

Gee, wonder what the number of cases involving alcohol is.

[Lee Heggy]

Wait till he gets a load of the new 'seedless and stemless' hybrid those crafty BC cultivators are coming up with. Lettuce crossed with pot. Just twist off a head and toss it into the old dehydrator...'Pottuce' kinda like Homer Simpson's 'Tomacco'. Salads will never be the same.

[William Terrell]

This has what to do with the cannabis situation?

[eno_]

So instead of one doofus checking in with an "I'm toooooo stooooooned" complaint, there are two now?

[laotzu]

"So instead of one doofus checking in with an "I'm toooooo stooooooned" complaint, there are two now?"

-Where have I complained?
-Where have I said "I'm toooooo stooooooned", or that I ever smoke marijuana?
-"doofus"?!! Articulate, influential, & clever.

Is there some point you are trying to make?

[philman_36]

Most of what Walters says regarding marijuana can be de-bunked by simply visiting the DEA's own website.
And, of course, if you're using dirtweed as the basis of your conclusion, which NIDA does, then of course it is going to be stronger.
Cannabis 1988 Old Drug, New Dangers The Potency Question
In sum, the new marijuana is not new and neither is the hyperbole surrounding this issue. The implications of the new disinformation campaign are serious. Many people, particularly the experienced users of the 1960's and their children, will once again shrug off the warnings of drug experts and not heed more reasonable admonishments about more dangerous drugs. This is not only abusive to those who look to science, the medical profession, and government for intelligent leadership, but will sully the reputations of drug educators who wittingly cry wolf, and will inevitably diminish the credibility of drug abuse treatment professionals who pass on such flawed reports.

From, Drug War Distortions
Federal research shows that the average potency of cannabis in the US has increased very little. According to the federal Potency Monitoring Project, in 1985, the average THC content of commercial-grade marijuana was 2.84%, and the average for high-grade sinsemilla in 1985 was 7.17%. In 1995, the potency of commercial-grade marijuana averaged 3.73%, while the potency of sinsemilla in 1995 averaged 7.51%. In 2001, commercial-grade marijuana averaged 4.72% THC, and the potency of sinsemilla in 2001 averaged 9.03%. Source: Quarterly Report #76, Nov. 9, 2001-Feb. 8, 2002, Table 3, p. 8, University of Mississippi Potency Monitoring Project (Oxford, MS: National Center for the Development of Natural Products, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2002), Mahmoud A. ElSohly, PhD, Director, NIDA Marijuana Project (NIDA Contract #N01DA-0-7707).

Same tripe, different decade.

[cinFLA]

To make the alcohol even more profitable, 'Mixers' came into vogue

Mixers came into vogue to cover up the bad taste of the 'alcohols'.

[cinFLA]

From you site:

Average THC Content of Marijuana

percent 1985 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Commercial 3.71 3.97 4.52 4.25 4.19 4.77 5.56 5.57
Sinsemilla 7.28 8.57 5.77 7.49 7.51 9.23 11.55 12.32

[Hodar]

Mixers came into vogue to cover up the bad taste of the 'alcohols'

Yes, you are missing the thrust of my arguement. "Mixers" are common place and are not illegal, however the alchol was. Thus, if a place buys tons of Coke or Pepsi, no attention gets paid. Now, I (the bootlegger) need only supply a single bottle of liquour, which will serve many customers, instead of multiple bottles per customer.

"Mixers" were a way of condensing the product, thus increasing the profits.