NPR

Highly Potent Weed Has Swept The Market, Raising Concerns About Health Risks

Most of the marijuana for sale in the U.S. has a far higher THC content than it did a few decades ago. Some scientists and doctors are concerned that the trend is making pot less safe.
Studies have shown that the levels of THC, the main psychoactive compound in pot, have risen dramatically in the U.S. from 1995 to 2017.

As more states legalize marijuana, more people in the U.S. are buying and using weed — and the kind of weed they can buy has become much stronger.

That concerns scientists who study marijuana and its effects on the body, as well as emergency room doctors who say they're starting to see more patients who come into the ER with weed-associated issues.

Some 26 million Americans ages 12 and older reported being current marijuana users in 2017, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. It's not clear how many users have had serious health issues from strong weed, and there's a lot that's still unknown about the potential risks. But scientists are starting to learn more about some of them.

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