Climate Change, Drought Likely Means Marijuana Grown In California Will Be More Potent

[Jesus Malverde]

A warming climate could boost the medicinal and psychoactive properties of plants including cannabis, that according to experts.
The Daily Climate reports, climate change could also play a huge role in the number of people growing marijuana on public lands, which would put increased strain on the ecosystem.

Lewis Ziska, a plant physiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, said his research shows that marijuana grown outdoors will likely become stronger and require less water to thrive. He said a small portion of plant species have adapted to lower carbon dioxide levels, but most including marijuana, still feel deprived.

Retired USDA ethno-botanist James Duke said that when plants are stressed, like is often the case during a drought, they tend to exhibit more of their medicinal properties.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/05/13/climate-change-drought-likely-means-marijuana-grown-in-california-will-be-more-potent/

[waddirum]

1. With legalization, it no longer makes sense to grow in National Forests

when you could grow in your yard or greenhouse.

And Cannabis and Hemp could be major potential carbon sinks, removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Especially when hemp is combined with concrete to make "hempcrete" for buildings.

[Electric Monk]

2. "...have adapted to lower carbon dioxide levels..." Um, not according to NASA.

The global concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere – the primary driver of recent climate change – has reached 400 parts per million (ppm) for the first time in recorded history, according to data from the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii.

Since 1958, the Mauna Loa Observatory has been gathering data on how much carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide has increased by about 24 percent since the beginning of this record. (Source: NOAA)

We rounded up a few scientists here at NASA and asked them what passing 400 ppm means to them.

http://climate.nasa.gov/400ppmquotes/

CO2 concentrations haven't been this high in millions of years. Even more alarming is the rate of increase in the last five decades and the fact that CO2 stays in the atmosphere for hundreds or thousands of years. This milestone is a wake up call that our actions in response to climate change need to match the persistent rise in CO2. Climate change is a threat to life on Earth and we can no longer afford to be spectators.

– Dr. Erika Podest

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