TOKERS FUMING OVER FEDERAL WEED

Nearly a third of the patients who got marijuana through Health
Canada's medical access program have returned the product or cancelled
their orders, in what one activist sees as proof that federal pot is
not worth smoking. "High school students in a cupboard could grow a
product that is better and safer than what we're getting," Philippe
Lucas, director of Canadians for Safe Access, fumed yesterday.

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

Lucas said tests commissioned by his pro-pot lobby group have found
the federal product contains only 5.1% THC rather than the 10.2%
claimed by Health Canada. It doesn't even look appealing, he added.

'It's Horrible'

"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 confirmed that 29 out of
92 approved users either returned their pot or cancelled their orders,
but she did not know the reasons.

In two cases, doctors refused to take shipments at their offices, she
said. The rules have been changed to allow shipment directly to patients.

Saunders insisted the marijuana is as potent as claimed.