B.C. POT STRAIN TAKING ROOT IN N.B.

MONCTON, N.B. (CP) - A new import from British Columbia is taking
root in New Brunswick forests and the RCMP aren't too happy about it.

"It's a new type of marijuana plant called B.C. Bud and we're finding
it in New Brunswick," said Kent RCMP Sgt. David Mazerolle.

This particular species of plant is harder for police to see from the
sky because it's quite short. It's also more efficient for those who
grow it because it produces as many buds as a plant more than triple its size.

"It grows a huge amount of buds," said Mazerolle.

This is the time of year police will find marijuana plants because
it's almost harvest season for illegal outdoor grow-ops. As they have
the last few years, RCMP districts all over the province are
descending upon hidden grow-ops and tearing the plants out of the ground.

Last year only about 15 to 20 of the plants seized in Kent County
were B.C. Bud, but so far this year police have already uncovered 150.