From Weed to Fentanyl: How High-Potency Cannabis Paved the Way for America’s Overdose Crisis скачать в хорошем качестве

From Weed to Fentanyl: How High-Potency Cannabis Paved the Way for America’s Overdose Crisis

Cannabis today isn’t the same plant your parents knew. THC levels have skyrocketed, products are stronger than ever, and access has never been easier — especially for young people. But behind the glossy marketing and billion-dollar profits, there’s a darker connection to America’s addiction epidemic. In this deep investigation, we trace how high-potency cannabis has acted as an overlooked “first step” toward much more dangerous drugs. We explore the gateway effect, the cultural normalization of drug use, and the political forces that kept potency limits off the table. You’ll see how this shift intersected with the opioid and fentanyl crises, fueling an unprecedented wave of overdoses. From personal accounts to hard data, we uncover how corporate lobbying, state tax dependency, and public perception combined to create a perfect storm — and why reversing it will be harder than anyone admits. Sources referenced: • NIDA – Cannabis Use and Addiction: https://nida.nih.gov/publications/res... • CDC – Youth Risk Behavior Data: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data... • Recovery Research Institute – Cannabis and Opioid Risk: https://www.recoveryanswers.org • Smart Approaches to Marijuana – THC Potency Report: https://learnaboutsam.org • NY Comptroller – Opioid Crisis Data: https://www.osc.ny.gov/reports/contin... • California Department of Tax and Fee Administration – Cannabis Tax Revenue: https://cdtfa.ca.gov/news/25-05.htm • Colorado Department of Revenue – Marijuana Tax Reports: https://cdor.colorado.gov/data-and-re... • Illinois Department of Revenue – Cannabis Tax Receipts: https://www.idor.illinois.gov/researc... • Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board – Marijuana Revenue: https://lcb.wa.gov/about/marijuana-re... • Axios – Texas Hemp Market Data: https://www.axios.com/local/austin/20...