GRITS SPARK POT LUCK PLANS

Feds To Test Weed Effects

OTTAWA -- Health Minister Allan Rock issued a call yesterday to all pot
growers to send him their resumes.

Rock officially launched a program to begin clinical trials to test the
effect of smoking marijuana and called for pot entrepreneurs to put together
a business plan spelling out how they would grow the weed for government use.

"We're going to be putting the job out to tender to find somebody who can
grow us a reliable, consistent quality (marijuana product) for research
purposes," Rock announced yesterday.

"Once we do that, we'll go out to tender and we'll receive bids. I hope that
by the fall we'll have somebody that we can identify as a source."

Rock announced several months ago his department was developing guidelines
for trials that could lead to the legalization of marijuana for medical
purposes.

He insisted this move in no way signals the legalization of pot for general use.

Rock also gave the OK for two Canadians to grow and smoke dope for their own
medicinal purposes and said his department will deal with some 30 other
applicants as quickly as possible.

Toronto AIDS sufferer Jim Wakeford and Ottawa epilepsy victim Jean Charles
Pariseau are both exempted under the Controlled Substance Act, allowing them
to cultivate and smoke their own pot.

Pariseau, 31, was elated with the news, saying his debilitating disease
leaves him with little appetite or energy.

Marijuana increases his appetite and keeps up his strength, he said.

"I'm going to be able to eat with my family all the time ... get munchies
and smoke my dope and take my pills," Pariseau said.

"I don't think anybody can take 51 pills a day and not smoke dope."

Rock also intends to seek help from the University of Mississippi, where
marijuana is grown for U.S. government research, to help with Canadian research.

As well, the government is negotiating with a British firm to conduct
research on its liquid marijuana which is breathed in through an inhaler.