HEALTH CANADA LOOKING TO SCORE POT

Health Canada is planning to distribute nearly one million marijuana
cigarettes over a five-year period to ailing Canadians and medical
researchers studying the medicinal value of pot, according to a confidential
government document.

The 28-page ``Statement of Work for the Development of a Comprehensive
Operation for the Cultivation and Fabrication of Marijuana in Canada'' sets
out the business framework for a Canadian supplier to the federal government
for medical marijuana -- in other words, an official dope dealer.

The official dealer would have to explain the techniques used to roll and
moisten the joint. Health Canada would supply the seeds and a ` Qualified
Person In Charge of Narcotic, Controlled and/or Restricted Drug Transactions
(QPIC)' would have to be hired. The QPIC would have to be a university
graduate in an area such as pharmacology and ``be of good character.''

``The purpose of this project is to provide for Health Canada a reliable
source of affordable, quality, standardized marijuana products to meet the
needs of exemption recipients and of researchers in this country and
abroad,'' according to the introductory overview of the draft document,
written Nov. 30.

Calgary pot crusader Grant Krieger remained cynical about the government's
objectives, and said the decision doesn't change his intention to cultivate
his own medicinal marijuana once his legal troubles have been settled.

`There's no way I'd use government-grown marijuana,' he said.

Krieger, 45, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, was arrested in August
after police went to his home to charge him with a breach of probation
stemming from a prior trafficking conviction and cultivation. His case will
be heard April 17 in a Court of Queen's Bench.

According to the government document, Health Canada ``will contribute up to
$1.5 million per year for investment in clinical, basic and applied research
on marijuana and cannabinoids over a five-year period.''

Neither Health Minister Allan Rock nor his department will comment on this
document because it has not been finalized. However, Health Canada's Lynn
LeSage said "the department is looking at options to provide a safe supply"
of marijuana.

Rock has also stated he is committed to finding a Canadian supplier for the
drug - an announcement is expected soon. So far, he has allowed 16
Canadians suffering from serious illnesses such as AIDS and cancer to
legally smoke marijuana to help alleviate some of the painful and
debilitating symptoms and side-effects that result from treatments for the
diseases, such as nausea from chemotherapy.

Rock has never said whether the growing of medical marijuana would be done
by a government agency or private supplier, but it appears from this
document that the government is leaning toward a private source.

Health Canada is breaking new ground in its approach to marijuana. In fact,
the document says ``marijuana is not approved as a therapeutic product in
any country.'' As well, there have been few clinical trials as to its use
for medicinal purposes; all information, so far, is anecdotal.