Drugs: The Trouble with THC

Among fad-following drug users, the initials of the day are THC. They stand for tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical compound that is the active ingredient in marijuana, hashish and all other psychedelic drugs derived from Indian hemp. In other words, THC is the kicker in the high.

THC has been extracted in microscopic quantities, and at great cost, for years. It was first synthesized—again, at great cost—in Israel in 1967. Ever since, U.S. potheads have been waiting for a reliable supply of genuine THC from illegal laboratories.

Something called THC appeared on the black market...

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