Pubdate: Thu, 08 Feb 2001 Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Copyright: 2001 Canoe Limited Partnership Contact: http://www.canoe.ca/WinnipegSun/home.html Author: Frank Landry ONE MERRY MINER Shirt Sells Flin Flon As Grow-Op Capital Flin Flon is buzzing over a T-shirt that proclaims the community is Canada's marijuana growing capital. Chris Pilz has sold 200 of the tees since he began stocking them in his novelty store last week -- his entire stock. He has another 200 on order, and expects that won't be enough to meet demand. "It's been quite overwhelming," said Pilz yesterday. He designed the tee with the help of a friend. They are available only at Flin Flon's Zig Zag Zone, which Pilz, 39, runs with his wife "I'm taking names and numbers and it's filling up fast. I must have taken two dozen names today," Pilz told The Sun. The shirts (left) feature a drawing of a miner pushing a cart brimming with ganja. In the background is a joint-like smelter stack. In the smoke it says: High ho, high ho, it's off to work we grow. Ottawa is paying Prairie Plant System $5.8 million to harvest premium pot for five years in Flin Flon. The weed -- to be used for medicinal purposes - -- will be grown in underground mine shafts. Most Flin Flon residents are getting a kick out of the humorous tees, said Mayor Dennis Ballard. Asked if the community is, in fact, the country's sweet leaf capital, Ballard said that's what he hears. "I suppose it may very well be," the mayor said with a chuckle. "It sounds good to me." The Health Canada project will create at least 10 jobs in Flin Flon, and there are endless possibilities for expansion, Ballard said. But Ron Dobson, a Flin Flon resident, said the shirts may be giving kids the wrong message -- that it's OK to spark up a spliff. Health Canada should educate teens on the dangers of weed, and explain its medicinal uses, he said. "They (Health Canada) dumped this into our community and put added pressure on our young people," Dobson said. Pilz said he isn't promoting illegal drugs, but tourism. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart