cannabisnews.com: Medical Users Spurning New Batch of Marijuana Medical Users Spurning New Batch of Marijuana Posted by CN Staff on July 12, 2004 at 13:29:15 PT By Dean Beeby, Canadian Press Source: Canadian Press Ottawa -- Some patients are spurning a new batch of government-certified marijuana, dismissing Health Canada claims that it's a stronger, better quality smoke. "It's no good," Marco Renda, 45, said Monday from his home in Dundalk, Ont. "I took two puffs and I put it out. "It had a chemical taste to it. It didn't taste right to me and it didn't burn properly. It had no effect." Prairie Plant Systems, which produces medical marijuana on contract for Health Canada, began shipping a second batch of its product on May 21 after getting bad reviews about the initial harvest. Users complained the first batch last summer was too dry and powdery, and seemed far less potent than the package claim of THC content at 10.2 per cent. THC is the primary active ingredient in marijuana. Health Canada says the new batch is 12 per cent THC, plus or minus 1.5 percentage points, has fewer leaves and twigs and more flowering tops, making it a purer smoke. "We've listened to complaints . . . that we've received from stakeholders about the moisture content in the product and of the potency," said Catherine Saunders, spokeswoman for Health Canada. "Informally, I've been told . . . that the feedback (on the second batch) has been positive overall." But Renda, who runs a website for medical users, said that "whoever has tried it has given me the feedback that it's not worth it." And a spokesman for Canadians for Safe Access, a Victoria-based group representing medical users, is warning all patients away from the new dope at least until it completes new lab tests. "Nobody should smoke this stuff until we see test results ourselves and until we get an explanation from Health Canada about what happened with the first batch," Philippe Lucas said Monday. "We've called right now for a moratorium on the use, research and distribution of this cannabis by all legal medical users." Lucas says his group had the first batch tested by independent labs, which found the THC content to be less than half the advertised level of 10.2 per cent. Internal documents from Health Canada also suggest the material contains other potentially harmful contaminants, he said. Health Canada disagrees, saying its own testing shows the marijuana has acceptably low levels of contaminants and is as potent as claimed. Currently, there are 70 licensed Canadians who have received Prairie Plant Systems marijuana, which costs $150 plus GST for a 30-gram bag. Forty-seven licensed users have also received the company's seeds to grow their own. Patients say marijuana helps relieve a variety of symptoms caused by AIDS, hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis and other medical conditions. Health Canada - which was required by the courts to provide the marijuana - says the medical case for marijuana remains unproven. Almost 600 users have been given permission to grow their own marijuana from black-market seeds or to have designated growers cultivate it for them. But some are concerned about Health Canada proposals to end private cultivation of marijuana by 2007, forcing everyone to either buy government dope or get it off the streets. "Patients are pretty fed up with the Health Canada product, and they do want alternatives," said Eric Nash, a licensed marijuana grower in Duncan, B.C., whose operation provides for five patients. "That's the big key, is having a choice of supply rather than being locked into one supply." Saunders said the supplier is examining other ways to improve the product, including changing the moisture content. Health Canada's $5.75-million contract with Prairie Plant Systems, which grows its marijuana in an old mine shaft in Flin Flon, Man., ends next year. The department is expected to put out to tender shortly two new contracts to grow government dope. Health Canada is also rewriting regulations to allow a pilot program in British Columbia to distribute government marijuana in pharmacies. Complete Title: Medical Users Spurning New Batch of 'Stronger' Health Canada MarijuanaSource: Canadian PressAuthor: Dean Beeby, Canadian Press Published: Monday, July 12, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Canadian PressRelated Articles & Web Sites:Canadians for Safe Accesshttp://www.safeaccess.ca/Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmFirst Patients Disappointed in Gov't Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17310.shtmlCanada Patients Get Government Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17161.shtmlCannabisNews -- Canada Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/Canada.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #8 posted by FoM on July 12, 2004 at 22:00:50 PT lag Sure Pot-TV is still around. Here's the link. I don't know if they have Crossballs but they might. Here's the link. It's not working for me right now but I'm sure it will be back up soon.http://www.pot-tv.net/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by lag on July 12, 2004 at 21:21:36 PT Crossballs That was great...is that online anywhere? Pot-tv? Is that still around? [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by john wayne on July 12, 2004 at 21:10:49 PT Un-buh-lievable I had the same question as lag below.Canada: home to some of the most advanced cannabis growing techniques on the planet. They produce some mighty fine bud up there in Vancouver, hope you can try it yourself sometimes.And these flin-flon government growers are growing shwag?Maybe these g-men (grower-men) will realize one day over coffee: "hey, why don't we call Marc Emery?" [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on July 12, 2004 at 20:45:22 PT RasAric Thanks for letting us know. I did see this show and it's really funny. A hippie against pot. Too much! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by RasAric on July 12, 2004 at 20:40:20 PT TV Comedy Central Pot legalization comedy called CrossBalls parody on Cross fire I hope you are watching this...One Love [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by lag on July 12, 2004 at 16:59:51 PT Are these people newbies? I agree that this is a disgrace...typical flim flamming...Look, if some person can grow a better crop in their garage, why can't they get it close to right when under controlled and legal circumstances? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by shrox on July 12, 2004 at 15:53:09 PT The right to provide for ourselves When the final battles are fought in the medical cannabis victory, we must wary. In the zeal to get what we need, we must be careful not to submit the medicine to government or corporate control, or we will end up with a "Marisanto" having a choke hold on who can have what and how much they can have. We must secure the right to provide for ourselves through private cultivation as well as having dispensaries.shrox http://www.shrox.com/spiceflow.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by RasAric on July 12, 2004 at 14:24:02 PT Flim Flammin' in Flin Flon But some are concerned about Health Canada proposals to end private cultivation of marijuana by 2007This is a blatant Conspiracy. It's like the Monsanto of Medical MJ. Health Canada and Prairie Plant Systems are a disgrace. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment