Pubdate: Tue, 10 Jun 2008
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2008 The Edmonton Journal
Contact: http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Florence Loyie
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)

HEALTH CANADA TAKING BIDS ON POT CONTRACT

EDMONTON - Health Canada is looking for someone to grow its pot.

The federal department is inviting firms from across the country to 
submit bids on a contract to cultivate and distribute medical 
marijuana for the next seven years, with options for two one-year extensions.

The work is now being done by Prairie Plant Systems Inc. in Flin Flon, Man.

Since marijuana is a controlled substance, "any party who requests a 
copy of the Statement of Work must have the required security 
designations, as specified in the bid solicitation. The party must 
also sign a non-disclosure agreement," said media spokesman Phillippe Laroche.

Tenders are being accepted until Sept. 15, he said. The federal 
government has been a reluctant seller of marijuana since a series of 
court rulings forced it into the pot-selling business.

A Price Waterhouse Coopers survey in 2002 found that about four per 
cent of the Canadian population uses cannabis medically, or about 1.2 
million people.

According to Health Canada figures, more than 2,400 people are 
currently licensed to use medical marijuana in Canada, 214 of them in Alberta.

But fewer than 20 per cent buy it from the government's supplier. 
Some patients say the quality is poor and others say only one strain 
of the plant is offered -- different strains have unique therapeutic effects.

Patients authorized to legally possess medical marijuana have three 
options for acquiring it. They can grow it themselves from seeds 
provided by Health Canada, designate someone else to grow it for them 
or order dried marijuana from the department.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom