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	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

To The Editor: Compton and colleagues¹ report an increase in marijuana use disorders in the last decade, with combined estimates of abuse or dependence increasing from 1.2% to 1.5%, a statistically significant change. Subgroup analyses revealed that the increases were statistically significant for ethnic minorities but not whites.

The authors attribute these increases in the disorders to heightened potency in available marijuana, an explanation that remains puzzling, particularly in light of the ethnic differences. No other data address the idea that stronger cannabis leads to more abuse or dependence. Smokers tend to take smaller puffs with more air when using high-potency marijuana.² Research has not addressed ethnic differences in the metabolism of tetrahydrocannabinol. It seems unlikely that minorities would have greater access to marijuana of higher potency, particularly given the probable expense of this drug. The idea that increased potency would lead to more dependence and abuse in general, and . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Mitch Earleywine, PhD
earleyw@usc.edu
Department of Psychology
University of Southern California
Los Angeles

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