HEALTH CANADA PREFERS COLOMBIAN MARIJUANA

It's official: the Canadian government's marijuana of preference is Colombian.

Not B.C. Bud; not Alberta Gold -- Colombian.

The revelation of the government's favourite weed was smoked out -- so to
speak -- by potential bidders lining up for a lucrative contract to provide
Health Canada with research-grade marijuana for medicinal purposes.

One of the most common questions asked by those interested in the
$5-million contract was where the ministry would obtain seeds for the first
year.

In a 10-page letter to bidders this week, which extended the deadline for
responses to June 21 from June 6, ministry officials provided answers to 14
frequently asked questions.

``Health Canada will obtain Mexican-Colombian hybrid seeds, if necessary,
from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) in the U.S.A.,'' it
responded to questions about the seed source. An official for the
department said bidders may provide their own seeds for the pilot project,
but the department could provide the hybrid seeds, if necessary.

Smoke connoisseurs of the '60s will remember Colombian Gold. Before
homegrown took off in Canada, some believed the only acceptable marijuana
on the street was from the tiny country in South America.

Becoming a drug cliche in the '70s, Colombian marijuana was featured in
comedy films such as Cheech and Chong's Up In Smoke.

There has been great interest in the five-year Health Canada contract, with
241 potential bidders shelling out about $65 each for the department's
tender package. The contract winner will become the legal marijuana
producer, with the tightly guarded weed being used purely for research and
medicinal purposes. Right now, marijuana is not approved for therapeutic
use by any country in the world.

Some interested bidders were amused by the Colombian connection, but noted
that the seeds probably produced marijuana plants with the low -levels of
THC required for the project.

Gary Halls of Prince George, B.C., said pure Colombian weed has actually
been degraded and killed off over the years because of ``mass pollination''
and interbreeding. It's reputation as a potent weed has been battered and
numerous B.C. strains are much more quality weeds, said Mr. Halls.

He cited a Russian seed strain and B.C. Skunk as his preference when it
comes to seeds for the project.

Jay Blair of Joint Hempstock Inc. in Toronto said strains produced near the
equator, such as Nigeria and Colombia, produce marijuana that has a high
content of the chemical cannabidiol (CBD), which can have negative effects
on users such as making them groggy or grumpy.

He said his bid may propose to use seeds from the Netherlands or
Afghanistan, for example, which have very low rates of CBD.

The winning bidder will set up the first legal marijuana-growing,
processing and storage facility in the country. Only one contract will be
recommended for award and several bidders believe that the expertise in the
marijuana field lies on the West Coast.

Health Minister Allan Rock has said that he has smoked, and even inhaled,
the still-banned substance but he has yet to reveal what he exactly was
smoking in his university years in the '60s. Was it Colombian?