Pubdate: Fri, 02 Nov 2007 Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Copyright: 2007 Winnipeg Free Press Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/info/letters/index.html Website: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502 Bookmark: http://drugnews.org/topics/poppy (Poppy) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) OPIUM POPPY RESEARCHER GOES UNDERGROUND CP - A leading University of Calgary expert on the opium poppy is joining marijuana researchers underground in Flin Flon with the hope of finding new uses for heroin and pot. Peter Facchini, a professor of biological sciences, has received a $650,000 federal grant to study possible medicinal and industrial purposes for the drugs. Facchini's work is taking him deep underground to Canada's high-security medicinal marijuana plant in an old copper and zinc mine in Flin Flon, Man. That's where Prairie Plant Systems of Saskatoon produces medicinal marijuana for Health Canada. Facchini says opium poppies contain morphine and codeine, used in many drugs, while cannabis is a good source of high-quality fibre and oil. He says both plants have immense potential as sources of high-value bioproducts for the agricultural and pharmaceutical sectors. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom