Pubdate: Mon, 07 May 2007
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2007 The StarPhoenix
Contact: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n535/a03.html
Author: Brent H. Zettl

INCORRECT MEDICAL POT STORY GETS UNDESERVED PROMINENCE

Re: Government as sole seller of medical pot disastrous (SP, April 27). I am
amazed that one piece of inaccurate journalism from an Access to Information
request, taken out of context, has gained so much notoriety.

The original Canadian Press story of April 15 was based on misleading
information and seemed designed to discredit Health Canada's medical
marijuana program. Within its first two paragraphs, the lack of logic
is exposed.

The two figures quoted are $328.75 per kilogram and a contract with
Prairie Plant Systems of $10.3 million. To earn $10.3 million at
$328.75 per kilogram would mean the company would have to produce
31,330 kilograms (31.3 million grams) of medical marijuana.

Even at $5 a gram, which is well below the drug's street value, the
government hypothetically would have to produce and sell an equivalent
of $150 million worth of marijuana. That is one massive grow-op, by
any standard.

Let's put the numbers in perspective. A total 31.3 million grams of
marijuana is sufficient to supply 17,167 people for a whole year,
based on a dose of five grams per day. This is an order of magnitude
difference when the CP article reported there were 1,742 approved
Health Canada recipients, the majority of whom grow their own.

Had the reporter bothered to look at the contract awarded to Prairie
Plant Systems, he would have seen that it calls for upwards of 400
kilograms a year. Since the contract was also released under Access to
Information, I can only assume that he disregarded the facts.

It is unfortunate that the Marijuana Party used this misleading
information in an attempt to further its political agenda. It's only
hurting the people it claims to be protecting.

Brent H. Zettl

President and CEO

Prairie Plant Systems Inc.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake