In fact, good Thai stick is probably stronger than most hybrids of today.
Dude, this is not true. Stop propagating the "Marijuana isn't stronger today" myth.
I have personal experience with this type of stuff. I used to have an Egyptian American neighbor who was born and raised in New York City and is one of the lucky one's who can still smoke to this day. He told me that the Thai strains back then were not as strong as any of the strains he is smoking now, but that the high was extremely different.
He told me that African and Thai Sativa's that they smoked back then just gave a very upbeat and happy high, he described smoking Thai strains as taking a "light e-roll" that only lasted for a while. Although he thoroughly enjoyed the experience, he told me that the stuff he buys from dispensaries now, one or two hits and he is fairly medicated. This guy is a veteran smoker.
I have also talked to an older dispensary owner here in Northern California who has told me the same thing. However, he noted that Thai and African genetics tend to be much stronger than genetics from other parts of the world. In other words, Thai back then was the strongest you could get due to the genetics and Thai and African strains you can get now are strong, but that the weed in this day and age is BY FAR stronger.
Seriously, lets compare solely the LOOKS of thai strains back then, and the indoor thai strains we see sold today on the street and in dispensaries:
1960's- 1970's Thai Stick:
2000's dispensary and street Thai strains (indoor or hydro): (Lemon Thai)
The Cannabis today is much stronger (end story) I have talked to many older people in cannabis clinics here in California who tell me the exact same thing. One guy described the high of 70's weed to be "mellow" and the high of today's weed as "intense".
As I have mentioned, I have had the pleasures to smoke weed with higher CBD levels and ower THC levels, specifically the "Harlequin" california strain which is a combination of Swiss, Thai, and Columbian genetics and is almost always clocked at 6% THC and 8% CBD and the high is extremely different than anything else I used to smoke. Very mellow and easy going high.