The Daily Climate reports, climate change could also play a huge role in the number of people growing marijuana on public lands, which would put increased strain on the ecosystem.

Lewis Ziska, a plant physiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, said his research shows that marijuana grown outdoors will likely become stronger and require less water to thrive. He said a small portion of plant species have adapted to lower carbon dioxide levels, but most including marijuana, still feel deprived.

Retired USDA ethno-botanist James Duke said that when plants are stressed, like is often the case during a drought, they tend to exhibit more of their medicinal properties.