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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Northwest storms subside, but mudslide risks remain ... Oregon looks to go back to running own health insurance exchange ... Central Point teacher pleads not guilty to sex abuse ... Northwest storms subside, but mudslide risks remain ... Oregon looks to go back to running own health insurance exchange ... Central Point teacher pleads not guilty to sex abuse ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Breeding, not GMOs, boosts pot's potency Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 1, 2015 at 4:15 PM Posted Dec. 1, 2015 at 4:15 PM » Social News Didn't Oregon vote for no GMOs in our state? And all pot plants for medical and recreation use are GMOs because they are all hybrid from hemp. So would that make hemp the only thing that could be raised in Oregon? — Georgia B., Central Point Georgia, the GMO connection with marijuana has been raised many times but also shot down an equal number of times. Marijuana plants have definitely been manipulated over the years, but not genetically modified. The website politifact.com , which investigates various claims, explains why that manipulation doesn't rise to the level of genetic modification: "Genetic modification or genetic engineering involves altering a substance’s DNA at the molecular level. ... However, genetic selection involves breeding marijuana plants with the highest concentration of THC. Genetic selection, unlike genetic modification, has been practiced for centuries. Think about how we got different breeds of dogs or varieties of tomatoes." The Politifact report goes on to note that genetic selection has been "quite prevalent" in marijuana, resulting in a drug that is many times more powerful than the marijuana of the baby boomers' youth. "The University of Mississippi Potency Monitoring project analyzed tens of thousands of marijuana samples confiscated by state and federal law enforcement agencies since 1972," Politifact stated. "The average potency of all seized cannabis has increased from a concentration of 3.4 percent in 1993 to about 8.8 percent in 2008. Potency in sinsemilla (high-potency marijuana) in particular has jumped from 5.8 percent to 13.4 percent during that same time period." But that, again, is the result of breeding, not gene manipulation, at least so far. It's also worth noting that the separation between hemp and marijuana occurred centuries ago, long before the idea of genetic manipulation even existed. One other note, Georgia: Oregon didn't vote to ban GMOs in the state; the state's voters in 2014 narrowly voted against requiring GMO products to be identified as such on their labels. Jackson County voters, however, did in 2014 vote to ban GMO crops in the county. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 1, 2015 at 4:15 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501