As I’ve been familiar, the marijuana potency that you’re referring to is a bit skewed.

In reality, potency in general for typically hydroponically genetic “choice marijuana” sits more toward the 20-30 percent range. This sounds high, but in actuality, these strains of marijuana have been present in society (not american of course) for thousands of years. For any scientist to give credit to a tiny percent of individuals with only slight or moderate knowledge of genetics seems a bit outrageous when one thinks of countries such as India or Tibet which have had amazing luck with perfecting strains and genetics of marijuana for THOUSANDS of years.

The problem comes about when you think of it this way. (I suggest watching the documentary on Acapulco Gold.)

US was a HUGE producer of Hemp… not sensimilla that one can smoke, but the textile, fuel, food, and cordage that has served humans for years. This was ALSO grown with the naturally available marijuana plant (specifically the Sativa strain which is a close cousin to the hemp plant.) The interesting thing about Sativas, is that when left to grow… they’re massive and beautiful plants that can produce a large quantity of smoke-able sensimilla, however the potency (As you mentioned earlier) is and has been known to be significantly less.

So there in lies the paradox. It’s a natural substance found to grow wild all over the world, but it has also been cared for and genetically bred for specific characteristics… much like corn in a sense.

One could immediately suggest that it has NOT been the result of the past 30 years alone… that a group of college-aged students (older than myself) have banned together to create super-weed, but that over the course of thousands of years and countless man-hours have been spent in order to help natural plant traits to show their colors more so in some plants than in others.

All-in-all, excellent article and I agree on all parts aside from those aforementioned in this reply.

‘Namaste!