AILING DOC QUITS FEDERAL POT PANEL

OTTAWA -- A Toronto doctor who has AIDS has resigned from Health Canada's
advisory committee on medical marijuana, saying he doesn't trust Health
Minister Anne McLellan to handle the file.

Greg Robinson, one of two committee members with serious illnesses, is
upset by McLellan's decision to terminate a study by the Community Research
Initiative of Toronto (CRIT) into the use of cannabis as an appetite stimulant.

CRIT had spent about $800,000 of a $2-million grant before its funding was
stopped in March, just as it was about to begin clinical trials. It has
since closed its offices.

Robinson says he reluctantly resorted to smoking marijuana even though he
hates the so-called "high," because it lets him stem his weight loss. But
he worries about side-effects.

"They just shut the research down and some of us are waiting anxiously to
find out if what we're doing to ourselves is really helping," he said.

He said he strongly suspects there's a benefit in his case, but would like
scientific evidence. If CRIT's work was unsatisfactory, the work should be
carried on by some other group, he said.

McLellan said CRIT is being audited and its funding won't be renewed.

"There have been concerns identified by my officials and those concerns are
being followed up," she said.

The health minister said CRIT's work hasn't been wasted, and Health Canada
may fund other groups to build on it. She said other cannabis research
projects are proceeding.