ONE MERRY MINER

Shirt Sells Flin Flon As Grow-Op Capital

Flin Flon is buzzing over a T-shirt that proclaims the community is
Canada's marijuana growing capital.

Chris Pilz has sold 200 of the tees since he began stocking them in his
novelty store last week -- his entire stock. He has another 200 on order,
and expects that won't be enough to meet demand.

"It's been quite overwhelming," said Pilz yesterday. He designed the tee
with the help of a friend. They are available only at Flin Flon's Zig Zag
Zone, which Pilz, 39, runs with his wife

"I'm taking names and numbers and it's filling up fast. I must have taken
two dozen names today," Pilz told The Sun.

The shirts (left) feature a drawing of a miner pushing a cart brimming with
ganja. In the background is a joint-like smelter stack. In the smoke it
says: High ho, high ho, it's off to work we grow.

Ottawa is paying Prairie Plant System $5.8 million to harvest premium pot
for five years in Flin Flon. The weed -- to be used for medicinal purposes
- -- will be grown in underground mine shafts.

Most Flin Flon residents are getting a kick out of the humorous tees, said
Mayor Dennis Ballard. Asked if the community is, in fact, the country's
sweet leaf capital, Ballard said that's what he hears.

"I suppose it may very well be," the mayor said with a chuckle. "It sounds
good to me."

The Health Canada project will create at least 10 jobs in Flin Flon, and
there are endless possibilities for expansion, Ballard said. But Ron
Dobson, a Flin Flon resident, said the shirts may be giving kids the wrong
message -- that it's OK to spark up a spliff.

Health Canada should educate teens on the dangers of weed, and explain its
medicinal uses, he said.

"They (Health Canada) dumped this into our community and put added pressure
on our young people," Dobson said.

Pilz said he isn't promoting illegal drugs, but tourism.