The Department of Justice's Drug Threat Assessment 2008 covers every illicit drug as well as pharmaceuticals in its 89-page report. Of particular interest to cannabis consumers are the following "Strategic Findings": • Indoor cannabis culitvation is increasing in some areas of the country as growers attempt to avoid outdoor eradication and attain higher profits through production of indoor-grown high-potency marijuana. Federal, state and local law enforcement reporting indicates that vigorous outdoor cannabis eradication efforts have caused many marijuana producers, particularly Caucasian groups, to relocate indoors even in leading outdoor grow states such as California and Tennessee. In addition to the reduced risk of detection, indoor cannabis cultivators benefit from higher profits because cultivation is a year-round process with four to six harvests per year and controlled conditions that enable growers to produce high-quality marijuana that commands higher prices in most drug markets. These factors have contributed to a sharp increase in indoor culitvation reported by law enforcement. • Marijuana potency reached the highest recorded level in 2006, most likely attributable to improvements in outdoor and indoor cultivation methods. The University of Mississippi Potency Monitoring Project data for 2006 indicate that the average THC level in tested samples of marijuana increased to the highest-ever recorded level since the project's inception in 1975. According to project data, the average THC content in all tested marijuana samples nationwide increased to 8.77% in 2006, nearly doubling since 1996 (4.50%). Most of the marijuana available in the United States is lower-potency, commercial-grade marijuana produced in Mexico; however, the national average potency of marijuana appears to be increasing because of the rising prevalence in domestic drug markets of high-potency marijuana that is generally produced in Canada and the United States through improved and highly effiicient outdoor and indoor cultivation methods. Independent growers operating in Canada and the United States use advanced equipment and cultivation methods to produce a higher-potency crop, including using cloned starter plants and high-nutrient fertilizers. For example, indoor grow operations recently discovered in the Atlanta area yielded marijuana with a THC content of over 18%. In the section, "Predictive Estimates," the report concludes: • Increased cannabis cultivation may result in reduced marijuana prices. The recent increases in cannabis cultivation and marijuana production within the United States coincide with the continued flow of marijuana from foreign sources, which may lead to market saturation in major markets. This saturation could reduce the price of the drug significantly. To read the entire report, download the PDF here Feds predict major drop in marijana prices <SCRIPT type=text/javascript>/*<![CDATA[*/var jc_username\t\t\t= "";var jc_email\t\t\t= "";/*]]>*/</SCRIPT>