Studies show the number of daily marijuana smokers increased despite the amount of occasional marijuana users remaining constant.

Marijuana abuse or dependence among users has climbed from 30.2 percent in 1991 to 35.6 percent in 2002 according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The increased availability of higher potency marijuana could be a potential cause for more marijuana-related accidents.

And more often than not, people arrested for cannabis normally are caught in relation to another infraction, said DeKalb Police Lt. Jim Kayes.

According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, alcohol is the most predominant substance found in fatal auto crashes. Marijuana is the second most frequently found substance drivers intoxicate themselves with.

Observations from the police say the users also seem to be seeking out more high-end marijuana than is typical.

“When we make an arrest we don’t track what grade the cannabis is,” said Bruce Orns, State Trooper and member of North Central Narcotics Task Force. “I would say we are seeing less low-grade, so we might be seeing more high-end.”

People are looking for one-hit dope, said Steve Lux, a health educator for NIU Health Enhancement Services.

The federal drug strategy is to try to stop drug users from starting by eliminating marijuana, a common gateway drug. An extensive ad campaign has tried to curb the use of marijuana to no avail.

“Think of all of the money we have spent on trying to stop marijuana,” Kayes said. “Are we better off considering the issues with harder drugs such as the methamphetamine epidemic and the crack cocaine problem?”

Also a matter for the police, the fallout of hard drug use in any community is often an increase in crime.

A lot of crime problems are driven by drugs, especially robbery-related incidences, Kayes said.