cannabisnews.com: Pot Factory To Be First in Canada, Group Says Pot Factory To Be First in Canada, Group Says Posted by CN Staff on September 30, 2002 at 07:10:52 PT By Robert Matas Source: Globe and Mail A defiant group of British Columbians is to announce later today the official opening of what they call Canada's first marijuana factory, posing a direct and highly visible challenge to federal marijuana laws.The facility on a street of rundown homes in a Vancouver suburb is set up to process a crop of 110 marijuana plants, from cuttings or seeds, into moist dark pellets that dissolve easily in olive oil or butter. The pellets, which contain concentrated doses of marijuana's psychoactive ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol, are called THC balls. With consistent production standards, the producers say the process will offer marijuana users the option of ingesting the drug in a bowl of soup, biscuits, cakes and a wide variety of other foods. The federal government has sent out mixed signals about medicinal marijuana. Former health minister Allan Rock set up a system to distribute marijuana for medicinal purposes to hundreds of people but his successor Anne McLellan put brakes on the program.For those not covered by the program, possession, cultivation and distribution of marijuana remains illegal. Canada spends between $300-million and $500-million annually on enforcement of the marijuana laws.Michael Maniotis, spokesman for the group that is running the facility, said yesterday the factory is run under licences issued by Health Canada that exempt from marijuana laws those who are terminally ill. The THC balls produced at the factory will be given to three licence holders at no cost.However, he declined to comment on the legality of the group's plans to distribute THC balls to physicians, researchers or others who may not have Health Canada licences for medicinal marijuana."The answer will be in the attitude of the federal government," he said as colleagues were arranging marijuana plants for display during the official opening."Is the government ready to chase down doctors who want to prescribe marijuana to their cancer patients?" he said.The production line has been set up to show the federal government what is possible, he added."I hope we can eventually get a contract from Health Canada to provide this [the THC balls] to millions of ailing Canadians," Mr. Maniotis said.Health Canada spokesman Andrew Swift said the federal government has issued 817 licences to Canadians to possess marijuana for medical purposes and 214 licences to allow production of marijuana for medical purposes. Health Canada has also designated 17 people to grow marijuana for a person licensed to use it, he said in an interview from Ottawa.An officer who answered the phone at the police station said no one was available yesterday to comment on the factory. Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)Author: Robert MatasPublished: Monday, September 30, 2002 – Print Edition, Page A2Copyright: 2002 The Globe and Mail CompanyContact: letters globeandmail.caWebsite: http://www.globeandmail.ca/Related Articles & Web Site:Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmSick People Have Right to Use Pot, Lawyer Argueshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14186.shtmlPatients Still Can't Make Legal Buyshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14182.shtmlRock Planned To Release Pot, Letter Says http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14157.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by Dankhank on September 30, 2002 at 12:23:14 PT: Smokin' Medicine I have modified the talking points I use in my personal discussions to address this very point. Some of the most implacable foes are that way due to their perception that smoking medicine is not right.I tell them that some people WILL smoke it to take advantage of an almost "instant" result, useful for those nauseated, or first thing in the morning as it helps some get out of bed, or for any number of reasons.I also tell folks that users do not HAVE to smoke it if they don't desire to. Brownies, cookies, teas, pizza, poltices, butter, and many other ways ... a person can even eat the raw cannabis.Dr. Ethan Russo's fine medical study does state that Chronic Cannabis Use appears not to affect people as nicotine does.Sometimes I think we spend too much time defending the smoked method of infusion into the body, without emphasizing the other methods.Cannabis is medicine.Let's tell them of ALL the ways. Hemp N Stuff [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by delariand on September 30, 2002 at 09:49:48 PT the pharm companies of America... ..would never allow it! God forbid the little guy grows his own safe, effective medicine at home, instead of paying $200 for a month's supply of pills with a mile-long list of side effects.On another note, I guess this completely defeats the argument that marijuana isn't medicine because smoking is unhealthy. But of course, we all know it's not medicine anyway, right? And don't even try to convince us otherwise! ;) [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by bongathon on September 30, 2002 at 08:30:34 PT yeah gooballs! yummy [ Post Comment ] Post Comment