According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, almost 9% of marijuana users will become dependent on the drug.
This number increases to roughly 17% in those individuals who started using the drug in their teenage years.
David Smith, a physician who treats drug abuse, told The Washington Post, “Back in the day when kids were sitting around smoking a joint, the THC levels found in marijuana averaged from 2 to 4 percent. That’s what most parents think is going on today. And that’s why society thinks marijuana is harmless.”
According to the physician, selective breeding of the cannabis plant can up its content of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which provides the high effect.
