Highly potent marijuana creating addicts worldwide, says study

According to a new study, more people are becoming addicted to weed due to the high concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC—the part of the marijuana plant that gives you high.

The study published in the journal Lancet Psychiatry on Monday claimed that those who use higher-potency cannabis are more likely to get addicted and face mental health issues than those who use lower-potency products—typically 5 to 10 milligrams per gram of THC.

"One of the highest quality studies included in our publication found that use of high potency cannabis, compared to low potency cannabis, was linked to a four-fold increased risk of addiction," study co-author Tom Freeman, a senior lecturer in the department of psychology and director ofthe addiction and mental health group at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, in an email told the CNN.

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The research further found that as marijuana became more potent, cases of marijuana-associated psychosis also saw a spike.

Psychosis is a state of mind where it "loses contact with reality" by hearing voices and having delusions, Freeman said.

"A report by the United Nations found that in the past two decades, the proportion of people seeking treatment for cannabis addiction has risen in all world regions apart from Africa," he said.

"The evidence linking cannabis potency to addiction and psychosis was very clear," he was quoted as saying.

There was a 76 per cent rise in people entering treatment for cannabis addiction over the past decade, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction found.

And the "cannabis potency continued to rise during the same time," Freeman said citing the findings.

In the research, scientists established a “standard THC unit" of 5 milligrams that is said to produce mild intoxication for nonregular users.

Freeman and his team at the University of Bath said that in a gram of herbal cannabis—the dried and harvested tops of marijuana plants —THC concentrations increased by approximately 2.9 milligrams each year.

(With inputs from agencies)

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