Police urge Liberals away from making it legal to grow pot at home

Medical marijuana clone plants at a medical marijuana dispensary in Oakland, Calif. on Feb. 1, 2011. (AP / Jeff Chiu)

OTTAWA -- The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police is urging the federal government to exclude personal cultivation from its plans to legalize marijuana.

A task force on legalization recommended allowing people to cultivate up to four marijuana plants for personal use, but association president Mario Harel says enforcing such limits can be very difficult.

Harel, who is expected to testify Thursday before the Senate's legal and constitutional affairs committee, says it's impossible to ensure such pot isn't being cultivated for the black market.

The association says the dangers of "grow-ops" have long been clear, and that allowing home cultivation would make it impossible to control THC levels, pesticide use and perils such as mould.

The government is expected to introduce legislation as soon as next week ahead of annual "Weed Day" celebrations on April 20 to regulate the use of marijuana.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says marijuana will remain illegal until a new framework is in place to protect young people and prevent criminals from profiting off the drug.