Rep. Mark Kirk still can't make up his mind about the possibility for running for higher office next year. This morning, the North Shore Republican told WBEZ that he delayed his scheduled announcement in order to see who else enters both the 2010 gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races. In the meantime, he's trying to raise his profile among moderate voters statewide, introducing a bill that would toughen drug trafficking laws for strong marijuana.  Fox Chicago reported on the proposal yesterday, airing a clip of Kirk stating, "This is not your father's marijuana," and warning, "[W]e don't want to create zombie-like kids who can't perform in school or athletically."  Watch it: 

While Kirk's law could be good politics, it's silly policy. High levels of THC might make the effects of the drug slightly stronger, but it's non-toxic to healthy cells or organs (regardless of potency) and is incapable of causing a fatal overdose.

Testing THC levels requires expensive equipment as well, which would likely add a hefty price tag to the bill's implementation. Paul Armentano, deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, writes that the University of Mississippi is currently the only place that engages in potency testing.

Kirk's push to lock up more drug offenders in Illinois also comes as activists, academics, and public officials are calling for major reforms to drug crime sentencing laws. ArchPundit, back from a blogging hiatus, adds his two cents:

That said, we don’t need to be populating our federal prisons with people selling dope whether it is supposedly super pot or not. While this is obviously meant to target suburban voters–women especially who are worried about their kids–it’s stupid policy.  It increases the number of people in prison for non-violent crime and it’s not going to stop anyone from getting high.