CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CONTAMINATION OF MARIHUANA WITH PARAQUAT

Since 1975 the Mexican Government has operated a marijuana eradication program employing paraquat (1,1 prime -dimethyl-4,4 prime -bipyridinium dichloride) as the principal herbicide. During the latter part of 1977 and 1978, concern was voiced that paraquat-contaminated marijuana was entering the U. S. A. and might present a health hazard to those who smoked it. This article presents the results of a study conducted by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Ga. , to obtain information regarding the prevalence fo contamination and the distribution of concentration levels of paraquat in majijuana.