But now, he said, parents are encouraged to talk to their children about it, and drug prevention programs are on the rise in schools. There even have been less favorable portrayals of drug use in general in the entertainment industry - largely, Johnston believes, because some of the stars in music, movies and fashion overdosed. And those younger people are using much stronger marijuana, according to Marek. Now, THC content commonly is up to 12-14 percent. And that can make it addictive.
People begin to use a drug and build tolerance to that drug.
It takes more of the drug to get the same effect. Sure, just like they do with cigarettes. But Johnston doesn't see the Hash Bash as much of an indicator of the problem of drug use. Marijuana has always been the favorite ground on which to challenge legitimacy of adults' rules and limitations. That line, however, is sometimes blurry.