Canada: Federal Pot Fails Toke Test
Pubdate: Fri, 30 Apr 2004
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2004 The Canadian Press
Contact: letters@theherald.canwest.com
Website: http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/
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.
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