Cannabis cultivation in Mexico was nearly 30,000 acres in 2009, an increase of 35 percent from the previous year.

Source: “Marijuana cultivation up in Mexico in 2009 – US,” Reuters, March 1, 2010.

A study released by the Partnership for  a Drug Free America found that 25 percent of teens between grades 9 and 12 reported to having smoked marijuana within the last month in 2009.

The percentage was up from the 19 percent in 2008.

Source:  Associated Press, “Study: Teen pot, alcohol use rising,” Las Vegas Sun, March 1, 2010.

In 2009, Mexican cartels planted tens of thousands of marijuana plants on public lands in the United States, leading to a potential yield of 30 tons.

Source:  Associated Press, “AP IMPACT: Drug Gangs Taking Over US Public Lands,” CBS News, March 2, 2010.

A study has found that using marijuana consistently over 6 years could double the chances of the smoker having hallucinations, delusion and other psychotic episodes.

Source:  Kate Kelland, “Long-term cannabis use can double risk of psychosis,” Reuters, March 1, 2010.

The National Police Agency in Japan announced that there were 3,903 cases of marijuana in Japan in 2009.  The number of cases were up 74 from 2008, and was the fourth straight year of increasing.

Source: “Cannabis cases hit a high in ’09,” Asahi, February 26, 2010.

$224.5 Million (260 Million Australian) of drugs was seized in Australia in 2009. Marijuana was that largest drugs seized, with $164 Million (191 Million Australian) worth of cannabis seized by police.

Source:  Peter Hawkins, “Ecstasy use up as police seize drugs worth $260m,” Sydney Morning Herald, February 7, 2010.

At the start of 2010, Mexico was the largest Marijuana producing country in the world, followed by Paraguay.

Source:  Luis Andres Henao, “Latin America rejects old U.S. approach in drugs war,” Reuters, January 29, 2010.

One in four adults living in Scotland have taken illegal drugs at least once in their life, according to a report by the Scottish Government.

The most used drug was marijuana, followed by amphetamines, ecstasy, and cocaine.

Source: “‘One in four’ Scots has taken drugs,” BBC News, January 26, 2010.

Authorities in the state of Texas eradicated nearly 62,000 marijuana plants in 2009, the highest amount on record.

36,280 marijuana plants were eradicated in 2008, and 40,172 were eradicated in the state in 2007.

Source:  Steve Campbell, “Texas authorities seized record crop of marijuana this growing season,” Fort Worth Star Telegram, November 23, 2009.

In 2007, almost 10 percent of Americans between the ages of 50 to 50 used marijuana, up from 5.1 percent in 2002.

Source:  Steve Hendrix, “Baby boomers find growing acceptance of marijuana use,” Boston Globe, November 22, 2009.