'Super Marijuana' Becoming A Problem

CHICAGO - A strain of highly-potent marijuana is hitting the Chicago suburbs and causing concern for local lawmakers. Now they're calling for stricter laws against trafficking.

Tetrahydrocannabinol, known as THC, is the main ingredient in marijuana that gives you a high. It used to measure 4 percent in pot found on the streets in the 90s. But now, pot can be as much as 20 percent THC.

One congressman said with the increased potency, he would lobby to see increased fines because the new marijuana could sell for $600 an ounce. This new 'super marijuana' is much higher in THC. It produce a more intense and longer-lasting high. It also sells for more on the street, and on the street, it's commonly known as "koosh."

"Koosh is a modified marijuana that delivers up to ten times the THC level of the marijuana we may have seen in the 1960s and 70s," Congressman Mark Kirk said.

Congressman Kirk is proposing federal legislation to make dealing it on a higher level like with cocaine.

Congressman Kirk went on to explain that the high potency marijuana act of 2009 "would increase the penalties just for drug dealers and people making sure they know that the penalties are as high for this new potent marijuana as it is for other high potency drugs."

To give you an example, current legislation calls for fines of $250,000 for an individual and up to five years in prison. Under Mark Kirk's proposed legislation, it would go up to $1 million for an individual and up to 25 years in prison.