POT OF GOLD NOT WHAT LOCAL GROWER WANTS

Local cannabis company Island Harvest wants to grow weed for the
government and potentially become the only legal supplier in the country.

But they said if they were given a monopoly on selling cannabis, it
would be a step in the wrong direction for medicinal users.

Island Harvest plans to bid on a contract to distribute marijuana to
users across Canada, which is expected to become up for grabs in the
next few months.

The current provider, Prairie Plant Systems Inc. in Flin Flon, Man.,
has been paid more than $10 million since they were awarded the deal
eight years ago.

Right now, Island Harvest is going through an applicant screening
process, said co-founder Eric Nash.

Health Canada is looking at the security measures each company is
willing to take, and how many scientists they have around with
relevant degrees such as plant biology, he said.

His company has been operating for six years, and should be approved
to bid on the contract, since it has a secure location lined up and
has been collaborating with scientists while growing cannabis.

The government is currently allowing licensed marijuana providers to
provide for one customer per grower. Since Nash runs the company with
his partner, Wendy Little, they are allowed to sell their product to a
maximum of two people right now.

He said these restrictions are barely allowing them to pay the bills,
and are sending thousands of medicinal marijuana users onto the
streets to buy potentially unclean weed.

And Health Canada is planning to make things even worse for cannabis
users. It announced it wants to end medical marijuana licensing to
companies, and allow the government a monopoly on growing legal marijuana.

This would be a money jackpot for Nash and Little if they won the bid,
but they are against the proposal for the users' sake.

"They shouldn't be forcing one product onto the consumer," said Nash.
"They should have a range of providers, so different strains and
qualities are available.

"When people want medicine to cure their headache, they go to the
pharmacy and have all these different options. It shouldn't be any
different for marijuana."

Nash said he has heard many complaints about the cannabis currently
sold by the government. It isn't organic, which is an issue with
users, and there is only one strain of the plant being grown.

Different strains of marijuana effect people in different ways. Some
provide mental relief for anxiety or depression while doing very
little physically; others help kill pain or nausea, and don't affect a
person's mental state.

If Island Harvest wins the bid to sell marijuana through the
government, they will be providing their customers with four different
strains of weed that is entirely organic.

The government's decision will be announced before this fall.