Higher THC increases risks
Contributed photo/Nate BodenstabHOULTON — Alison Gooding was the guest speaker at the Houlton Rotary Club meeting on July 11. Gooding is the daughter of Garth and Kathleen Gooding, longtime Houlton librarians. She has degrees in secondary education and English Literature.
When Gooding worked in Orono, she directed Literacy Volunteers of Bangor and ran an after school program for children who were “at risk”. Beginning in 2004, Gooding taught at the Greater Houlton Christian Academy for five years and took care of her mother for nine years.
Today, she co-directs the Aroostook Adopt A Block Program. This involves 80 children and foster healthy relationships with these children. For the past two and one half years Gooding has been a community education specialist for Healthy Aroostook, part of ACAP. Her focus is preventing obesity in children as well as educating the community members about substance abuse.
Prescription drug misuse is a major current concern in the County. Her topic for the day was “Marijuana in the new millennium.” The compound that works on the brain to create a “high” is tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. Concentrations of this are found in marijuana today. There are edible marijuana products containing this THC such as marijuana pixie sticks, marijuana cotton candy, marijuana soda and marijuana mints.
Children under the age of five are being exposed to these products and these children are showing up at poison centers.
According to Gooding, the average amount of THC found in marijuana today is 20 to 30 percent per sample while it used to be 1.08 percent in the 1970’s. THC concentrations can be manipulated by marijuana growers who crossbred strains for increased effect.
Products that are available on the market with higher THC levels increase the risk of adverse or unpredictable reactions, especially in new users. There is also the risk of addiction to this chemical high. An example of the marijuana sodas available or “THC infused sodas” would be “Dixie’s Elixers’ ” that come in a variety of flavors. These are well marketed and cost ten to fifteen dollars per bottle. A person could buy pot brownies labeled “Medibles”. Or one could purchase “The Rookie Cookie” with the tagline of “Choose Health, Choose Herbs.”
Gooding examined the chocolate bar available. For $18 in Colorado a “Mile HIgh Mint” bar is for sale. The THC content of 175 mg is equivalent to 35 joints from the 1970s which were at 5mg per joint. Colorado recommends a 10 mg serving size that has 17 servings under the recommended serving.
As a side note, in Aroostook County marijuana is currently being sold in the state for $240 per ounce. It is said that one ounce of marijuana yields 40 joints, Gooding said. Therefore, one joint should cost $6.50.
Looking at data from Colorado, Gooding explained that studies are being done on public health and safety around the recreational use of marijuana since 2012. The problems show up at poison centers when marijuana edibles find their way into the hands of children.
Accidental ingestion leads to hospital visits. A medical toxicologist, George Wang, published such a study done at the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center in Denver. Pediatric marijuana poisonings are definitely on an increase. Gooding appealed to the group to stay informed and to contact her with any questions or comments.
