Canadian govt.gets into the marijuana business,stoners not impressed.

[taranaki]

http://www.cjad.com/content/cjad_new...sp?id=n091543A




OTTAWA (CP) - Some of the first patients to smoke Health Canada's government-approved marijuana say it's "disgusting" and want their money back.

"It's totally unsuitable for human consumption," said Jim Wakeford, 58, an AIDS patient in Gibsons, B.C. "It gave me a slight buzziness for about three to five minutes, and that was it. I got no other effect from it."

Barrie Dalley, a 52-year-old Toronto man who uses marijuana to combat the nausea associated with AIDS, said the Health Canada dope actually made him sick to his stomach.

"I threw up," Dalley said Monday. "It made me nauseous because I had to use so much of it. It was so weak in potency that I really threw up."

Both men are returning their 30-gram bags, and Dalley is demanding his money back - $150 plus taxes. Wakeford is returning his unpaid bill for two of the bags with a letter of complaint.

A third AIDS patient says he's also unhappy with the product, which is supposed to contain 10.2 per cent THC, the main active ingredient.

"I'm still smoking it - I would prefer better, but it's all I've got," said Jari Dvorak, 62, in Toronto. "I think Health Canada certainly should do better with the quality."

All three are among 10 patients who have registered with Health Canada to buy dope directly from the government to alleviate their medical symptoms. Another 39 applications are pending.

The department was compelled to begin direct distribution in July, following an Ontario court order this year that said needy patients should not be forced to get their cannabis on the streets or from authorized growers, who themselves obtain seeds or cuttings illegally.

The marijuana is being grown for Health Canada deep underground in a vacant mine section in Flin Flon, Man., by Prairie Plant Systems on a $5.75-million contract. The department originally intended that the product go first to accredited researchers to demonstrate whether or not cannabis is medically effective.

Health Minister Anne McLellan has said she opposes the direct distribution of government cannabis to patients and that the program will end if the department wins its appeal of the Ontario court decision.

The government dope also came under fire Monday from Canadians for Safe Access, a patients' rights group that is pressing for supplies of safe, effective marijuana.

Laboratory tests indicate the Health Canada product has only about three per cent THC - not the 10.2 per cent advertised - and contains contaminants such as lead and arsenic, said spokesman Philippe Lucas of Victoria.

"This particular product wouldn't hold a candle to street level cannabis," he said in an interview.

But Lucas declined to identify the three labs that did the testing, other than to indicate they're in Vancouver, saying he fears the facilities might suffer repercussions from Health Canada because they were not authorized to possess the cannabis.

He also would not say how the group obtained the sample of government dope.

A spokeswoman for Health Canada said the department can't accept laboratory findings from anonymous facilities.

"We question the validity of the test results because Canadians for Safe Access has been unwilling to reveal who did the testing, and when the testing was done, and under what conditions," said Krista Apse.

She said the Flin Flon cannabis had to meet exacting production standards and was thoroughly tested for its quality.

No patients have complained directly to Health Canada so far, Apse said, and the department will not accept returns or provide refunds.

Lucas, who smokes marijuana to cope with his hepatitis C infection, said the lab results also showed that the cannabis provided at a Victoria compassion club for patients registers at more than 12 per cent and is freer from contaminants.

He said the government cannabis was too finely ground up with stems and leaves, calling it "shwag" or "bunk," street terminology for the lowest grade of marijuana.

[Amish_kid]

Ha geez ya get what ya pay for I mean 30g's for $150 is a steal unless its crap which it was. But if I was ever put in a situation that I needed some mj I would never ever go to the government.

[YogsVR4]

The Canadian government clearly hired the wrong people to grow that stuff.

[TexasF355F1]

Originally Posted by Amish_kid

Ha geez ya get what ya pay for I mean 30g's for $150 is a steal unless its crap which it was. But if I was ever put in a situation that I needed some mj I would never ever go to the government.

30grams for $150 is a rip off. 30g is the equivilant to a little more than 1oz. Being a former mj smoker 1oz. of pot should be b/w $50-$80 depending on how easily available it is. But I guess the gov. has to make money some how.

[Amish_kid]

Originally Posted by TexasF355F1

30grams for $150 is a rip off. 30g is the equivilant to a little more than 1oz. Being a former mj smoker 1oz. of pot should be b/w $50-$80 depending on how easily available it is. But I guess the gov. has to make money some how.

*cough* Canadian Money *cough*

Haha it's about 15 a g here for hydro...or so I'm told

[TexasF355F1]

Originally Posted by Amish_kid

*cough* Canadian Money *cough*

Haha it's about 15 a g here for hydro...or so I'm told

Stupid me, I didn't even think about that. *stupid, stupid*

[YogsVR4]

Originally Posted by TexasF355F1

Stupid me, I didn't even think about that. *stupid, stupid*

See what smoking that stuff did to you?

[TexasF355F1]

Originally Posted by YogsVR4

See what smoking that stuff did to you?

[2strokebloke]

Hmmmm. So this stuff can help cure hepatitus C? I wonder if it'll cure the common cold! In the meantime, I'm going to use the NAFTA to sue the Canadian government, claiming that by contracting a single company to grow their marijuana, they're robbing my company, Associated Illegal Narcotics Inc. of profits.

[Amish_kid]

Originally Posted by 2strokebloke

Hmmmm. So this stuff can help cure hepatitus C? I wonder if it'll cure the common cold! In the meantime, I'm going to use the NAFTA to sue the Canadian government, claiming that by contracting a single company to grow their marijuana, they're robbing my company, Associated Illegal Narcotics Inc. of profits.

Hmm if thats the case maybe you should change your name to 2tokebloke.

[taranaki]

Originally Posted by Amish_kid

Hmm if thats the case maybe you should change your name to 2tokebloke.

ROFL

or maybe if they are stealing all his profits,it should be toobrokebloke

[Steel]

Originally Posted by TexasF355F1

30grams for $150 is a rip off. 30g is the equivilant to a little more than 1oz. Being a former mj smoker 1oz. of pot should be b/w $50-$80 depending on how easily available it is. But I guess the gov. has to make money some how.

Fifty bucks for an OUNCE?!? Was that back in to 60's or something? or just like, stems and seeds? For KB i pay 40-50 an Eighth! 150 for 30 grams is awesome! An ounce of the stuff im smokin now goes for ~240.

[Cbass]

$150 CDN is fair for an ounce of indoor marijuana in my part of the world...

The big problem is that the marijuana they're smoking has been in storage for the last several years. The stuff was grown, but there was no distribution network set up, the legal battles held that back for a few years.

Now that it's being sold, they have a large stockpile to work through, and the THC content has broken down over the years.

When they get some fresh pot, it'll be quite potent. I've read a few articles on the Flin Flon grow, and they're using high potency strains, proper lighting and enviromental equipment, and soil mixed specifically for the pot.