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NEWS photo Cindy ‘Goodman

HANDSWORTH SECONDARY school students got wet and wild during Moga Madness last
Thursday afternoon. A planned waterslide fundraiser ($650,000 is needed to repair the
school’s track) turned into a free-for-all when North Vancouver District firefighters turned

on their hoses. To make donations call 987-3381.

Burgeoning indoor marijuana business target of N. Shore police

have so far only identified what
effect 50 of those ingredients have
on the human body.

THE MOST potent marijuana in the world is grown on the
elsewhere
Mainland, according to an RCMP drug expert who has

North Shore and

spent years sludying the drug.

Const. Doug Macdonell, of the
Vancouver RCMP E-Division
drug section, said the potency
level of marijuana grown in in-
door Jab operations is increasing.

The level of tetra hydro can-
nabinal (THC), the psychoactive
ingredient in marijuana, is as
much as 29% in the marijuana
grown locally.

By comparison, said Macdonell,
the THC level of marijuana im-

throughoul the

By Surj Rattan
News Reporter

ported from Thailand is approxi-
mately 8%,

Increasing expertise on the part
of indoor pot growers results in
potent marijuana,

“My research has shown that
the highest THC concentrates
found anywhere in the world is
right here in B.C. 1 think it ts

Lower

feading to more and more prob-
lems,’’ said Macdonell.

He added that the marijuana
trade has become a billion dollar
industry in B.C. Macdonell said
that marijuana with a very high
THC level can sell for $350 a
pound.

“TF you tuke 50 plants, they'll
produce five to six ounces a plant.
You're talking $70,000 or $80,000
right there. The THC levels have
risen dramatically over the years,""
said Macdonell.

Macdonell grows the drug in lab
tests and gives other police of-
ficers courses on the subject.

“North Vancouver has a lot of

grows (indoor grawing Gpera-
tions). The boys (RCMP) in North
Van have taken down a lot of
grows,

“North Vancouver goes along
the franchise line. That's when
you have an expert grower set up
several indoor growing operations
and he gets people to look after it
for him and they take a cut of the
drug as payment.

“You can be talking a profit of
a half a million dollars a year and
these guys are getting off with
$2,000 fines. That’s ludicrous,”’
said Macdonell.

There are 500 psychoactive in-
gredients within THC. Officials

But Macdonell said extensive
use of marijuana can have a
damaging effect on memory. He
said that marijuana takes between
seven and 14 days to leave the
body. If more of the drug is
smoked during that period, the
effect builds up.

“Even the weakest THC can
affect the part of the brain that
Alzheimer’s disease affects. ft can
have a Jong-lasting effect,’’ said
Macdonell.

North Vancouver Crown

See Indoor lab page 3

ty

E 1969