Weed Around the World

FRIDAY, 20 FEBRUARY 2009 09:07



The International Narcotics Control Board 2008 Report contains some juicy statistical nuggets, such as the U.S. produces 4,700 tons of marijuana per year, compared to Mexico's 7,400 and Canada's 3,500. The report estimates that 25 million Americans smoked pot in 2007.

Here are some more nuggets:

• 22% of the world's marijuana (8,900 tons) is produced in Africa. The leading producers are South Africa, Nigeria and Morocco.

• Morocco is the world's leading producer of cannabis resin (hash).

• The four leading countries that export marijuana to the U.S. are Canada, Colombia, Jamaica and Mexico.

• THC potency in the U.S. was 8.77% in 2006, compared to 4.5 in 1996.

• 25% of the world's marijuana (10,000 tons) is produced in South America. The leading producer is Paraguay (5,900 tons).

• The highest rate of marijuana use in South America is in Chile.

• India and Nepal are both large producers of hash.

• Cannabis is widely use and cultivated in Sri Lanka.

• Afghanistan is a large producer of cannabis.

• Cannabis grows wild in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

• Cannabis is cultivated in Albania, Montenegro, Muldova, Serbia, Macedonia and Ukraine.

• The highest rates of marijuana use in Europe are in Denmark, France, Italy, the U.K., the Czech Republic, Spain and Ireland.

• The lowest rates of marijuana use in Europe are in Bulgaria, Malta, Romania, Greece, Norway, Sweden and Cyprus.

• The Netherlands is not mentioned in the report.

• Marijuana use in the U.K. has stabilized or declined "at a fairly high level."

• Australia is the leading producer of cannabis in Oceania, followed by Micronesia, New Zealand and Papau New Guinea

• Back in the U.S., psilocybin mushrooms are the most widely used hallucinogen.