'SCHOOL KIDS COULD GROW BETTER POT'

OTTAWA -- Nearly a third of the patients who got marijuana through Health
Canada's medical-access program have returned the product.

"High school students in a cupboard could grow a product that is better and
safer than what we're getting," said Philippe Lucas, who obtained the
figures through the federal access to information law.

"I think it's much weaker than the government claims. I'd really suggest
their testing is off."

Lucas, head of Canadians for Safe Access, said tests by his pro-pot lobby
group have found the federal product contains only 5.1 per cent THC rather
than the 10.2 per cent claimed by Health Canada. It doesn't even look
appealing, he added.

"Visibly, it's horrible. There's visible stock and stem and it's ground far
too fine to actually roll so you're forced to use it in a pipe and when you
do it burns very black with dark, acrid ash.

"They know it's no good, and they send it out to people who aren't just
suffering from minor aches and pains but in some cases have AIDS and cancer."

Health Canada spokeswoman Catherine Saunders said 29 out of 92 approved
users either returned their pot or cancelled their orders, but she did not
know the reasons.

Saunders insisted that the marijuana is as potent as claimed.

"It's tested, it's research grade, it's fully characterized and it's
documented according to good manufacturing practices guidelines."

She said the THC content is 10 per cent plus or minus 1.5 per cent. That's
comparable to black-market pot, which averages 10 per cent, she said.

The government marijuana is grown by Prairie Plant Systems of Saskatoon in
an abandoned mine at Flin Flon, Man.

"Having smoked it myself, I think they're having a lot of problems with the
way they're treating it post-cultivation," Lucas added.

"That's why this product is burning black and barely burning at all, frankly."

Given that Prairie Plant System is in the fourth year of a $5.5-million,
five-year contract, and has shipped 279 ounces of pot, he estimates that
each ounce costs the government $16,000.

"Absolutely outrageous," he said.