UN: POTENT POT NO SOFT DRUG

Report Says The Effects Of Canada's Cannabis Now Rival Those Of Cocaine, Heroin

The increasing potency of marijuana -- spurred on by hydroponic
growers in places such as B.C. -- means the world should no longer
consider pot a "soft" drug, according to a report released Monday by
the United Nations.

"Today, the harmful characteristics of cannabis are no longer that
different from those of other plant-based drugs such as cocaine and
heroin," Antonio Maria Costa, director of the UN's Office on Drugs
and Crimes, said in a written statement.

Each year, the UN produces a World Drug Report that surveys drug
production and consumption worldwide.

While this year's report covers everything from opium production in
Afghanistan to cocaine consumption in Europe, it takes specific aim
at marijuana in a section titled, "Cannabis: Why We Should Care."

The report argues that marijuana is by far the most popular drug in
the world, with about 162 million users every year compared to just
16 million for opiates and 13 million for cocaine.

And the number of marijuana users worldwide has jumped by more than
10 per cent since the late 1990s -- a larger increase than for any
other illicit drug.

"The cannabis pandemic, like other challenges to public health,
requires . . . a consistent commitment across the political spectrum
and by society at large," Costa said in his statement.

The substance in marijuana that produces its effect is
tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC.

The UN report argues that the increasing popularity of indoor-grown,
hydroponic marijuana in recent decades has caused the THC level in
marijuana to more than double in many parts of the world.

The UN report acknowledges that marijuana is different from heroin
and cocaine -- noting it is almost impossible to overdose on it and,
because it is so cheap, its users are far less likely to commit
crimes to feed their habits.

But the report argues marijuana is still a dangerous substance that
requires attention.

"Cannabis is not the harmless herb often portrayed, but a
psychoactive drug that deserves to be taken seriously," the report states.

While marijuana remains illegal in virtually all countries, the
report states there is a "global blind-spot" with many nations making
the drug a low priority for enforcement.

The report does not single out which countries it believes have taken
a lenient approach to pot.

But the Netherlands has long tolerated marijuana use and Canada took
steps under the former Liberal government to decriminalize possession
of small amounts of the drug.

Neil Boyd, a criminologist at Simon Fraser University, said while
marijuana can have negative effects on its users, it is less harmful
than many other substances -- both legal and illegal.

"When you place it alongside alcohol, tobacco, cocaine and heroin --
I think those drugs are more dangerous," he said.

And Boyd questioned whether the increased THC content of pot is
really cause for concern.

One of the biggest health risks of marijuana use, he said, is the
inhaling of smoke from joints -- which can cause lung problems
similar to those experienced by cigarette smokers.

The more THC in a joint, Boyd said, the less the user needs to smoke
to get the same effect -- making them more healthy, not less.

The UN report states that Canada produces an estimated 900 to 2,400
metric tonnes of marijuana a year -- and supplies about 12 per cent
of all the marijuana in the U.S.

But that pales in comparison to the world's largest producers of pot,
including Morocco (98,000 tonnes a year), Afghanistan (50,000),
Paraguay (15,000), Mexico (10,400) and the U.S. (4,455).

COUNTING THE COST

The United Nations drug office found these prices in Canada for
commonly abused illegal drugs. Prices are per gram.

Cannabis (leaf) $9 to $23

Heroin (No. 4) $320 to $740

Crack $90 to $180

Methamphetamine $92 to $185

Retail prices, 2004