Government-grown pot not up to snuff, say researchers

San Jose, California

The pot is unsmokable, they say, stale and full of stems and seeds.

Marijuana supplied to researchers from a government farm in Mississippi isn't quality product, say some participants in a landmark research study, the first publically funded analysis of HIV patients smoking cannabis in thier homes.

"I couldn't smoke the stuff anymore", said Alden, a free lance writer who relies on marijuana to ease HIV-related wasting disease and who dropped out of the study. "I was disgusted with the federal government."

Dale Gieringer, California coordinator for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, agrees. "It's unconcionable that they would be giving this marijuana to patients," he said. "It's stale, low-potency ditch weed."

The National Institute on Drug Abuse grows the marijuana, which is pre-rolled, frozen and sent out to officially sanctioned researchers across the country. It says the researchers aren't complaining about the quality and denies it's research product is substandard.

"The marijuana we provide does not contain sticks and seeds. The problem is re-humidifying - it makes it kind of harsh," said Steve Gust, assistant to the institute's director.