Cannabis Corner: Professional Insight Into Colorado’s Marijuana Industry

by Dr. RMJ  (I’m not really a doctor, though I play one in this column)
Hey Dr. R.: If I consume marijuana will I become addicted and eventually move on to harder drugs?
Dear Addict: According to a report by the National Institute of Health, roughly 9% of marijuana users eventually meet the criteria for dependence compared to 32% for tobacco and 15% for alcohol, making it the least “addictive” of all legal substances in Colorado. Marijuana has always gotten a bad rap as being a “gateway drug”. However, a report by the Institute of Medicine found “no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs.” The same study found that marijuana was ranked third, once again, behind alcohol and tobacco as being the first drug consumed by people.
Yo Dr. R.: I keep hearing from my friends that Marijuana has become much more potent over the years. Back in my day, handling the effects of weed was easy. If I decide to toke up now will today’s marijuana have me jumping out of windows?
Dear Potency Fear: The intoxicating chemical in marijuana is tetrahydracannabinol, or THC. The THC content that was first tested in the 70’s was in the 1-4% range. Today, if you come into Organic Alternatives (346 E. Mountain Ave) you can expect to see a range of 15-25%. While this is obviously a much higher potency, the notion that you are going to jump out of a window is preposterous. Every person’s tolerance is different and if you find yourself in a situation where you have consumed too much marijuana, the best cure is time. I can assure you that you that nothing bad is going to happen to you and you will eventually come down. That’s why it is important to ingest marijuana responsibly and start off slow until you reach your desired level.
Alternatively we do offer a strain of Marijuana that contains minimal THC and a high CBD content. For more info please go to www.organicalternatives.com.