MCLELLAN RELIGHTS OTTAWA'S MEDICAL POT PLAN

SAGUENAY, Que. -- Health Minister Anne McLellan backed down yesterday from
plans to snuff out government experiments to supply medical marijuana,
saying she'll wait for the results of clinical tests before making a decision.

"I have to be very concerned about the health and safety of Canadians," she
said.

"We are dealing with a drug that has not gone through the normal clinical
trials that one would expect."

McLellan said she won't make a move until she gets the results of clinical
tests, slated to start later this year.

'Surprised'

On Monday, she told the Canadian Medial Association in Saint John, N.B.,
she felt uncomfortable with the idea of Ottawa providing pot to relieve pain.

She told the gathering she was considering putting an end to the federal
government's controversial $5.7-million project to grow medical-grade
marijuana in an disused Manitoba mine.

But yesterday she denied ever suggesting it might not go forward.

"No one was more surprised than I was when ... I saw a headline that said
we intended to shelve our plan around medical marijuana," she said. "In
fact, there has been no changes of policy."