POT PLANT FOR PM

Paul McMullan is a little sad his pot plant gift will not grace the Prime
Minister's desk.

The cannabis activist said he attempted to give a cannabis seedling to two
officials escorting Helen Clark to the Southern Journeys premiere at the
Dunedin Town Hall on Sunday night.

After she entered the venue, the Dunedin Cannabis Coalition co-ordinator
approached her vehicle and presented the gift to two officials.

"I said 'please give this to the Prime Minister'. They recognised the
cannabis seedling and smiled and one replied 'I don't think so'. It was
left at their feet."

The seedling was accompanied by a letter and three "Tick the Leaf" discs
made by Dunedin ceramic artist Tanya Carey, tied together with cannabis thread.

The letter read: "If the Queen of England can receive a few leaves of the
herb, then the very least our leader can be offered is a living seedling,
full of potential. Treat the herb well and you will prosper, otherwise . .
. observe Jenny Shipley".

Mr McMullan said he was inspired by a similar incident in England at the
weekend when the Queen accepted a bouquet of flowers containing a cannabis
plant.

"I thought I'd do it just to raise the issue of legalising cannabis," he said.

Only a small plant was offered because "I didn't want to throw away a whole
bush".

"It would be nice to think that that little seedling will be growing in her
office but it might be too much," he said.

The prime minister's office was unable to confirm this morning what
happened to Mr McMullan's gift.

A spokesman for the prime minister confirmed officials did receive Mr
McMullan's gift but Ms Clark was "blissfully unaware" of it because she was
inside the Town Hall at the time.

Police had kept the seedling and might have a chat to Mr McMullan sometime
in the future, the spokesman said.