MAN CLAIMS SEIZED SUBSTANCE IS CATNIP

A marijuana activist who was allegedly busted with a pound of pot
claims police have no proof that what they seized is not catnip --
and he intends to try to prove it in court.

"It's a simple mistake -- it looks like good stuff," said Ron
McInnes, 60, owner of The Pot Shop in Orillia, which sells pipes,
bongs and a variety of deliciously-flavoured rolling papers.

McInnes, who is charged with possession for the purpose, yesterday
was set to defend himself at his trial, but the court ran out of time
and his case was adjourned.

His plan is to show that catnip, which he keeps around his home and
even grows in his yard for his two chubby cats, tests positive for
THC -- the psychoactive chemical in cannabis marijuana.

While his plan to do the test in court yesterday went up in smoke,
McInnes demonstrated his defence back at his shop.

He dipped a handful of catnip into a container of water and shook it
up, then used an MP Rapid test kit specifically designed to test for
THC in Marijuana.

Seconds after putting droplets of the liquid onto the test card, two
pink lines appeared in the test window -- indicating a positive
sample for THC -- even though there is no THC in catnip.

McInnes claimed that testing done by the police is no more accurate
than his test.

"Their testing equipment is just more expensive, that's all," he insisted.

McInnes said bags of catnip are a common treat around his home
because it grows wild around his dwelling. To make a point, he went
out and pulled a large stock of the herb from his overgrown backyard
and gave it to one of his fat cats, which promptly started chewing on it.

"My cats get the best," he quipped.

"In pet stores they grind up the stock with it, but I just use the
leaves and the buds -- it's good stuff."

He said police are wasting taxpayers' money by hovering around him.

"I don't even jay-walk," he said. No date has been set yet for
McInnes' new trial.