cannabisnews.com: Medical Pot Will Produce Strong Buzz Medical Pot Will Produce Strong Buzz Posted by FoM on October 23, 2000 at 08:00:54 PT By Tim Harper, Toronto Star - Ottawa Bureau Source: Toronto Star Government-regulated marijuana for coming clinical trials of its therapeutic value will pack much more of a kick than the research pot being grown in the United States, documents obtained by The Star indicate. The most recent plans published by Health Canada indicate 100,000 joints, from 85 kilograms of government pot, will be used in the first year of clinical research. That amount will be doubled in years two to five of a five-year plan. The Canadian-grown pot will have a 5 to 6 per cent concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana which provides the ``buzz'' for users, the documents say. Similar American research used marijuana containing 3 to 4 per cent THC content. The documents were obtained under Access to Information legislation by Ottawa researcher Ken Rubin. The May 1 ``Statement of Work'' for Health Canada also indicates Ottawa would produce 29,400 placebo joints with less than 0.1 per cent THC. The final decision on a series of plans for the government cultivation project rests with Health Minister Allan Rock. The minister will also choose the supplier. One of the potential contractors shortlisted by Health Canada has suggested turning the so-called Diefenbunker, the government nuclear bomb shelter built for former Conservative Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, as a potential hydroponic growing site. The Final Decision Rests with the Health Minister: Rock has given the go-ahead to study the effects of marijuana for relieving some of the pain of those suffering from diseases like cancer and AIDS. An early business plan for a government-regulated marijuana crop suggests expensive security safeguards would be needed to guard against theft of the pot from government employees. Alternatively, the plan, prepared for Rock by BDO Dunwoody and Associates, warns of a ``medium'' threat of vandalism from anti-drug activists who could be expected to trash Ottawa's marijuana crop. Either would damage the government's reputation; the plan recommends about $340,000 to protect the government-controlled marijuana stash. The business plan was produced a year ago as a guideline for Rock as his department began preparations for the production of marijuana to be smoked for therapeutic reasons. The management consultants recommend that an outdoor Ottawa facility should be secured with a 20-metre-high chain-link fence, 90 to 150 metres from the actual crop. ``This fence should be topped with outriggers with strands of barbed wired, angled away from the crops,'' the report says. Further, it wants large signs posted prohibiting trespassing, topped with electronic security monitors. The business plan estimated it would cost $1.25 million to start a marijuana manufacturing facility, including $750,000 for a building and $50,000 in security upgrades. Of the annual operating costs of $332,200, it estimated it would need to spend $2,000 on rolling papers and pay employees $25,000 to roll the joints. Under that plan, they would have have produced 200,000 joints from 170 kilograms of pot, twice the volume of the latest government option. Note: Clinical trials to use 85 kilograms in first year.Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)Author: Tim HarperPublished: October 23, 2000Copyright: 2000 The Toronto StarAddress: One Yonge St., Toronto ON, M5E 1E6Fax: (416) 869-4322Contact: lettertoed thestar.comWebsite: http://www.thestar.com/Forum: http://www.thestar.com/editorial/disc_board/Related Articles & Web Site:Health Canadahttp://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/Bunker Going To Pot?http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7346.shtmlOttawa Will Grow, Supply Pot for Use By The Sickhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7160.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives:http://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by mungojelly on October 24, 2000 at 01:30:25 PT: I guess it's true I guess it's true what they said in all those stories about Canada growing stronger pot... guess they were talking about government grown pot... hah! Our governments are growing marijuana!! Think about it! The irony must be driving them out of their minds. mungojelly [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by freedom fighter on October 23, 2000 at 15:10:55 PT Brazil women will do the same. Thanks April for coming forward. Just be careful. May peace be with you. \/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by April on October 23, 2000 at 13:10:43 PT cannabis and illness I am 4 months pregnant and I spend just about 22 days out of the month cooped up in a hospital room with doctors only guessing what is wrong me while day in and day out I am riddled with uncontrollable nausea and vomiting. I firmly believe that if not for the use of this "drug" I suffer more greatly and more often. I have also ben ridiculed for my marijuana use by doctors whom have run tox screens on me during my hospital stays. I have even had 2 doctors drop me as a patient because i refuse to quit using while under they're care. I also have had doctors tell me that off the record, that if what i am doing is working. stick with it. Off the record of course.that is all [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: