Marijuana Still Popular and More Potent

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Updated: 4:26 PM Dec 29, 2005

Marijuana Still Popular and More Potent

Methamphetamine may be the new illegal drug of choice, but marijuana is still Wisconsin's most used drug and the easiest to get, according to the National Drug Intelligence Center. In just the last few weeks local investigators seized 28 pounds while busting up an alleged marijuana ring. We found out why this drug is still worth worrying about.

Posted: 10:10 PM Dec 28, 2005

Marijuana Still Popular and More Potent

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Marijuana has been around for a long time. That's why some drug counselors say people see marijuana as harmless but it's more threatening than you might think.

These packages of marijuana now sit in evidence after Marathon County investigators seized them. This is a high quality variety worth around $90,000 on the street. It's that high quality factor that worries drug treatment providers.

"The truth of it is, it's eight times more powerful than it was back in the 1970s," says Dale Christensen, Director of Drug/Alcohol Treatment at North Central Healthcare.

Christensen says today pot is grown in a way to increase the hallucinogenic effects and some studies show today's marijuana can cause anything from permanent short term memory loss to mental illnesses like schizophrenia.

One Marathon County judge says access to marijuana isn't getting any harder.

"I've been told by juveniles on a regular basis over the last seven or eight years that marijuana is easier to get than cigarettes or beer," says Judge Greg Grau of Marathon County's Circuit Court.

Judge Grau says he sees kids younger and younger using marijuana. Counselors say the best defense against the drug is for parents to talk to their kids about the dangers.