COPS CONCERNED ABOUT POTENCY

Contrary to police claims, Alberta pot - in fact most marijuana studied on
the planet - doesn't have harmful psychoactive levels, say Canadian
senators backing legal weed.

Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, chairman of the special committee behind the
report, said studies show marijuana has an average THC level of around 8%,
which the committee says is safe.

In July, Edmonton police Chief Bob Wasylyshen said he hoped the report
could speak to what police have been calling dangerously high levels of
THC, which officers say are becoming more common.

Earlier this year, Toronto police Chief Julian Fantin said levels of THC -
the psychoactive chemical in pot - have become so high that marijuana could
no longer be considered a "soft drug," effectively comparing it to cocaine
or heroin.

Drug section RCMP have also said pot harvested in Alberta today contains
between 15% and 20% THC.

But the committee said yesterday pot should be treated just like alcohol,
and anyone over 16 should have access.

"I'm very surprised the Senate committee would have taken such a large leap
in making that sort of a recommendation," Wasylyshen said yesterday, adding
he has not yet read the full 600-page document.

"The direction I would hope we are going is to advocate for a drug-free
society, advocate to young people not to use drugs."

He said police are already inundated with problems caused by alcohol and
tobacco use.

"There's an old saying," he added. "Beware of simple solutions to complex
problems."

After having tested marijuana potency for decades, University of
Mississippi research professor Dr. Mahmoud ElSohly said he arrives at the
same figures found in the Senate report.

"In about 1991, (the average) was around 3% THC, and gradually we have seen
a slight increase," said ElSohly, whose lab measures the THC levels of
seized pot from all over the U.S.

"It's not unusual to find a lot of samples at about 8%. But you can count
them on your hand, the number of samples over 20% we get in a year."