LUNNEY GOES LOOKING FOR POT DETAILS

MP James Lunney is trying to smoke out the dope on the federal government's
marijuana "Rock Garden."

The Nanaimo-Alberni MP has been doggedly trying to get answers on the
quantity and status of marijuana being grown for Health Canada in a mine
somewhere in Manitoba. Lunney has been trying without success to get the
answers since last May. The "Rock Garden" reference is to former health
minister Allan Rock.

Lunney told the Commons that since there has been no mention of the first
crop or a subsequent second crop, he believes Canadians would like to know
the fate of hundreds of pounds of taxpayer-funded pot.

He also questioned the government on its contradictory approach to tobacco
and marijuana.

"The government spends half a billion dollars to help people quite smoking,
yet gives legal exemption for people to smoke marijuana," he said.

He pointed to studies which show marijuana is much more harmful than
tobacco with a much greater tar and other chemical contents.

"No one would deny a terminally ill person the palliative benefits that
marijuana may offer, but to put patients with long-term illness at risk of
getting cancer or other respiratory problems is outrageous," Lunney said.

"Health Canada should be developing smoke-free delivery system for these
patients if marijuana is shown to be more effective than remedial care," he
said.