FEDERAL POT FAILS TOKE TEST

Nearly a third of the patients who got marijuana through Health
Canada's medical access program have returned the product, says an
activist who sees that as proof federal pot isn't worth smoking.

"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, director of Canadians for Safe Access, said tests commissioned
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."

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