*Bad Pot, courtesy of the…

Bad Pot, courtesy of the Government
Government Grass Turns Off Users

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.

So let’s get this straight. The marijuana is so bad, sick people want their money back! Now that’s some pretty bad pot.
Let’s take a look.

More pictures and test results available at Canadians for Safe Access. Pictures courtesy Vancouver Island Compassion Society (Marius, photographer)

You see, the Canadian government was forced by the courts to insure that medical marijuana patients had a legal means to obtain pot, so they grew some deep in a secure mine, chopped it up (including seeds and stems), and so far have made it availble for sale to ten patients. The marijuana was supposed to have 10% THC, but, according to Canadians for Safe Access, tests at around 4%, which requires much more smoking to get any medical effect.
Now, since U.S. citizens are flocking to Canada for prescription drugs, maybe Canadian patients can try the U.S. for medical marijuana? (see cartoon) Nope.
The United States government also grows marijuana. It’s a monopoly under the direction of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) which has no interest in helping medical marijuana studies. In fact, they tend to insure that any “scientific” studies reflect their point of view (as the recent ecstasy debacle shows). They grow the only pot which can legally be used for research.

At present, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) contracts to Dr. ElSohly at the University of Mississippi to grow marijuana at an outdoor, fenced facility with 24-hour armed guards. The product that is grown is seeded, leafy, low-potency material with stems included. The product is sent to Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina for rolling into standardized cigarettes, usually with about 4% THC

More lousy pot.

The pot is unsmokeable, they say, full of sticks, stems and seeds.æ The leaves have gone stale after at least a year of storage, freezing and then thawing.

Too bad governments couldn’t get someone good at growing medical marijuana like Steve Kubby to grow it for them. Unfortunately, the feds keep arresting them. Or someone like Peter McWilliams to provide his wealth of knowledge. Unfortunately, they killed him.
Now, however, Prof. Lyle Craker, Director, Medicinal Plant Program, UMass Amherst Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, is in the midst of the process of seeking DEA permission to establish a medical marijuana production facility to grow high-potency marijuana for FDA-approved research (tons of info at MAPS).
The DEA will probably reject the application. They don’t want anyone to really research medical marijuana, because they know that medical marijuana is sound science and they’re afraid of losing their stranglehold.
The public comments time period of the application ends September 22. You can add your voice.
Go to either the Drug Policy Alliance action alert or the NORML action alert and send your message. It’s quick and easy. Do it now.