This project was untertaken by John Martin, Ian Ouerkerk, Curtis Goodman, Kyle Mesic, and James Bishop. Together we make up Suits Associates International* and we are going to investigate the relevant issues surrounding opium production in Southern Alberta - specifically in the Lethbridge area. We feel will be of great interest to you as investors::

What kind of money are we looking at for the people in the area?

Right now there is a group of twenty southern Alberta farmers and businessmen on side with the idea of commercially growing poppies in southern Alberta. The most prominent spokesperon is Glen Metzler, a Lethbridge businessman.

He and other sources have said poppies will pay more per acre than any other crop we’ve grown, perfect for a struggling farming industry – how much can farmers expect to make?

As much as $6000 per hectare! While wheat farming generates about $825 per acre*.

Metzler and his associates (which I’ll come back to in a moment) have teamed up under the title of API labs and plan to begin producing medicinal poppies in our area in the near future. Their plans include a $40 million pharmaceutical plant near Lethbridge, resulting in 150 new jobs in the Lethbridge area and $300 million injected annually into the local economy.

Click on the PowerPoint link for the full presentation:

southern-alberta-opium-production-feasibility-study

In Alberta’s Fields the Poppies Grow…

Just Not Quite Yet

Team Name: The Suits

Team Members:

Ian Ouwerkerk

John Martin

Curtis Matwychuk-Goodman

Kyle Mesic

James Bishop

Course: Management 2700A

University of Lethbridge

Professor: Anja-Lina Wamser

April 25, 2007

Abstract

The following paper proposes researching the feasibility of growing poppies as an industrial crop in Southern Alberta in order to derive a licit source of opium to produce pharmaceutical grade pain relief. In exploring this possibility one must consider the implications which these actions would have on a number of different parties. There is existing evidence to suggest that Alberta’s economy and agricultural industry would both be greatly benefited.

A moderate budget from parties who have financial interest in the success of this project will enable us to conduct both of these quantitative and qualitative research methods. The quantitative research consists of a telephone interview administered to a random, representative sample of 625 people from all across Southern Alberta to assess their general knowledge of opium production. The qualitative research is made up of a series of personal interviews with specifically selected experts who are knowledgeable in legal, political or scientific fields that somehow relate to opium production in Canada.

Our key activities include stakeholder analysis, telephone survey, personal interviews. Each of these activities and their necessary preparation require between one and eight weeks to complete. The cost of this research project should range from $65,000 to $100,000. To attract participant involvement in our research, monetary compensation will be used as an initiative for participants. In the process, we will remain honest and moral, avoiding: leading questions, attempts to persuade participants and misreporting information. This research involves a very intriguing opportunity which may benefit many people and so it is important to see if and how it could become a reality.

Table of Contents

Abstract

Research Topic. 1

Literature Review.. 3

Research Questions and Hypothesis. 8

Research Objectives. 10

Methods. 11

Quantitative Analysis: Telephone Interview.. 11

Data Collection. 12

Regional Considerations. 14

Sample Size. 15

Qualitative Analysis: Personal Interviews. 15

Data Collection. 16

Sample. 18

Research ethics. 21

Time Scale and Resources. 22

Discussion. 26

Reference List 29

Appendix 1. 31

Telephone Survey. 31

Appendix 2. 39

Sample Size Calculation. 39

Appendix 3. 40

Personal Interview Question List 40

Research Topic

Picture it if you will, shifting in the arid breeze. Tough and resilient, it survives day after day in a hot, dry, sun-drenched land. Its green stock, strong and true, holds a most vibrant red bulb at its top. It is a poppy, though many know it simply as the opium plant. It is truly one of the hardiest plants in the world. Some say that even after everything else in this world has gone away, the poppy will still be here along with the cockroach, to make sure the world is not left lonely (Harrington, 2007, p. 192).

Despite these weed-like and pesky tendencies, the poppy is far from a common weed in its multitude of uses. Remembrance Day is fresh in the minds of many Canadians and the poem “In Flander’s Fields” depicts the poppy as a tribute to remind us of war’s destruction; a symbol of the legacy we carry to fight for freedom. To others however, the poppy is a means to a quick-fix or a subsistence of pain, or it might even bring a favorite perfume fragrance to mind. But the poppies that this proposal will focus on will not grow in Flander’s Fields, but rather in our backyards; in the farmland of Southern Alberta, exclusively for pharmaceutical use.

This is not the first time this idea has been proposed (Castaldo, 2007) and thus, a more deductive approach to research will be taken by our proposal. Therefore, we are not on the verge of a brand new theoretical idea, but this does not diminish the importance of this topic as the implications and feasibility are researched through our proposal. This idea has large-scale implications, just as the poppy itself has a multitude of uses. From governments, to corporations, to farmers, to the general public and even to junkies, the idea of growing opium in this region effects many people in a number of different ways.

The Canadian government will need to be highly involved as this issue becomes more prevalent, especially with regards to legislation, which will need to be upheld or relaxed for this activity to occur at all. As such, right now a few plants in the flower garden are permissible (CBC News, The Global Opium Trade, 2007), but a whole backyard and people start to ask questions. The government is going to receive a lot of pressure both from constituents who want the process allowed, as well as from those who strongly oppose the idea for various reasons including politics and morality. Regardless, the government will have a lot of explaining to do as this issue becomes increasingly publicized.

The pharmaceutical companies will also be stakeholders in these findings. Right now it is difficult to obtain the opium that is used in drugs like morphine and codeine. A processing plant in this country, which is one of the highest users (Summerfield, 2002) of these and other pain-killing drugs, (which are made from the opium plant) would be a huge advantage.

Today in Southern Alberta, farming can truly be a difficult and sometimes agonizing occupation. Weather and a multitude of expenses all affect the growth of the crops currently grown by farmers (wheat, barley, etc.). The poppy would change that. It is perfectly suited to the climate of this region and would be easier to grow, and more profitable for farmers (Harrington, 2007, p. 192).

The application of this idea would also mean a lot to the general public of Canada. If opium, the plant used to make harmful drugs such as heroine is grown here, then what could be next? It seems likely that the poppy’s more harmful uses might be a hard pill to swallow for some Canadians. At the same time, some Canadians will welcome the benefits of the idea, particularly the economic stimulation.

This issue will likely become even more interesting, as there are now developments happening in labs such as the one in the University of Calgary, where research is being done to develop an opium plant that does not contain the “heroine gene” as some would call it (Harrington, 2007, p. 192). At the same time, it would still be useful for pharmaceutical purposes and thus would be make it economically intriguing for any investor, which is where this proposal enters the scene.

Based upon the shear expanse of its influences, one can clearly see the importance of this topic. The economic, political and social aspects in relation to the feasibly of growing opium in southern Alberta will all be outlined in this presentation.

Literature Review

It is useful to begin with an analysis of what other research has discovered about this topic already. One will notice that the resources and information found were primarily secondary sources. To begin, the literature review focuses on information found in regards to the economic implications of growing opium in southern Alberta. Joe Castaldo, a writer for Canadian Business, has found a group of twenty Southern Alberta farmers and businessmen who are vigorously pushing for the commercial growing of opium in Southern Alberta (Castaldo, 2007). At the head of this group is Glen Metzler, a local businessman in Lethbridge, who is at the forefront of the push to bring the poppy to Southern Alberta farmland. An article in Alberta Venture quotes him as saying that “it will pay more per acre than any other crop we’ve grown,” and that the poppies would be “an excellent cash crop for a struggling agricultural sector.” (Harrington, 2007, p. 192). As an example, farmers in Tasmania were averaging $3,700 per hectare of poppies grown for sale to the licit market, (Castaldo, 2007). The article in Alberta Venture supports estimates as high as $6,000 per hectare. Conversely, wheat farming generates about $800 to $850 per acre (Harrington, 2007, p. 192, 195). CBC News reports similar findings, based on an interesting example of the success of growing this flower in other countries: “Australia’s been growing poppies for 40 years now and very successfully, they’ve had up to 22,000 hectares into production. For their farmers, it does exceptionally well” (Let Alberta farmers grow poppies for painkillers, says businessman, 2007).

The economic benefits to farmers are well documented, but what about for investors who plan to grow poppies commercially for pharmaceutical use. According to Carol Harrington of Alberta Venture, Canada currently imports one hundred million dollars per year in opium for drugs such as codeine and morphine from countries such as France and Australia who are two of twenty countries that grow poppies legally. Harrington also reported that as much as $7.4 billion dollars worth of pharmaceutical products derived from the poppy’s by-products were imported last year. Indeed there is huge economic potential here (Harrington, 2007, p. 192, 194).

In fact, there is so much potential that the aforementioned Metzler and his associates, including Peter Facchini (esteemed scientist in the field of pharmaceutical poppy production and professor at the University of Calagary), have teamed up under the title of API labs to soon begin to commercially produce medicinal poppies in Southern Alberta. To do this a $40 million pharmaceutical plant near Lethbridge is already under construction. As a result, 150 jobs in the area will be produced, and approximately $300 million will be injected into the economy annually (Harrington, 2007, 190-195). Obviously this proposal has huge economic benefits for the general public of Lethbridge and its surrounding area.

One of the experts in the field of legal poppy growing is the previously mentioned Peter Facchini. He started studying the plant ten years ago during his post-doctoral research at the University of Montreal. An article in the Calgary Herald states that his many accolades include biologist, biochemist and phytochemist. This University of Calgary professor is enthusiastically examining the possible applications of the poppy he is developing as it is nearly impossible to use for the production of illegal drugs such as heroine, while still being useful for pharmaceutical purposes. He reiterates the economic potential for the farmers in the area, stating that,

Extensive competition for commodity crops such as wheat around the world have put Alberta farmers behind the eight-ball. Countries such as Argentina and China can produce crops far cheaper than farmers in Canada. (Summerfield, 2002).

He goes on to support the prospects of having a market close to home, saying, “with two percent of all prescriptions filled in North America containing either morphine or codeine, a thriving market is there for the taking.” The article also reported that Canada is the largest per-capita consumer of codeine in the world, meaning that an excellent homegrown customer base already exists for our farmers, investors and general public (Summerfield, 2002).

Now that the economic implications of growing poppies in southern Alberta have been established, it is important to discuss what has already been discovered in relation to the political implications of such a proposal. CBC news reports that according to international law, there are only a few countries designated to grow opium legally. This list of twenty includes nations such as Japan, Hungary, India and Spain. All parts of the poppy plant are illegal in Canada, except for the seeds (The Global Opium Trade, 2007); however, a legal industry would require a stable, functioning government with the appropriate infrastructure, which Canada has. According to CBC, this is required so that the appropriate regulations are upheld, which is the case in the aforementioned countries and could easily be the same in Canada (Opium Economics, 2007). At this point, it is interesting to note what the local government’s response in Lethbridge has been thus far. In his first response to the proposed use of opium as a cash crop in the area, the city’s mayor Bob Tarlick stated that “we don’t want bikers running this” (Harrington, 2007, p. 194).

The government and law enforcement in Canada have proven that this will not likely be the case. According to CBC News Calgary, this past July a 62 year old man was charged with “production and possession for the purpose of trafficking” after his home was raided in Calgary. These thousand plants, worth an estimated $40,000, were confiscated. A local police inspector reported that this activity is very rare in southern Alberta as this brand of poppy and other illegal drugs are listed under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Police bust poppy grow-op in Calgary backyard, 2007). Although it is likely that this could become more common if poppies are grown for pharmaceutical use, being legalized to some degree, this case serves as a good example of the strength of our infrastructure and its ability to deal with these issues.

According to its website, the goal of the Drug Enforcement Branch of the RCMP is this: to prevent drug-related social and economic harm by reducing the supply and demand for illicit drugs with the understanding that the drug problem is one of global proportions (RCMP Drug Enforcement Branch, Goal, 2007). This cannot be denied. Multiple sources list Afghanistan as the world’s largest producer of poppies, the opium from which is used almost exclusively for heroine and the illicit drug trade. In fact, an article in Canadian Business magazine reports that 92% of the world’s opium comes from here, and everyone knows what the resulting situation looks like; one of war-lords, corruption and poitical upheaval. The article continues outlining the political issues of our proposal by stating that various groups, including the Senlis Council (the international policy think-tank) and even the BQ leader Gilles Duceppe have advocated that pharmaceuticals and governments buy the opium from them to keep it out of drug users’ hands (Castaldo, 2007). Canada’s Prime Minister, Steven Harper, has recently issued his own response regarding the matter of drugs for illicit or legal use: a $64 million anti-drug strategy, upholding the opinion that Canada is too friendly to drug traffickers and users, making the legalities of our proposal just a little more complicated (McLaughlin, 2007, p.5).

However, in order for this to be an issue, the poppies would have to be of the type that heroine can easily be extracted from. This comes back to the renowned metabolic engineering of the distinguished expert Facchini as reported by the Calgary Herald. His work may help de-stigmatize opium poppies as a crop for drug lords. His research involves “isolating the opium poppy’s enzyme-encoded genes, understanding the 18 or so metabolic stages from beginning to codeine and then on to morphine, and then alter that process” (Summerfield, 2002). The result would be a mutant poppy, useless to criminals, but still ideal for pharmaceutical application (Harrington, 2007, p. 190, 192). Ironically, the government has actually been supporting his efforts. The federal government awarded him a Canada Research Chair worth $1 million over the next ten years (Summerfield, 2002).

With these advancements, one might think that the growing of opium should give us little to worry about from a legal standpoint, but this is not the case. The major hurdle that the past efforts of Meltzer and his associates have had to face has been obtaining a license from Health Canada’s Office of Controlled Substances. They refused to give the license, citing that they did not want to change their current legal framework for commercial opium production. It seems likely however, that increased pressure and the absence of illegal uses for these poppies will result in this verdict being changed (Castaldo, 2007). All that would need to happen is for Health Canada to issue a regulation similar to the one Ottawa did for Canada’s medicinal marijuana growers (Harrington, 2007).

This issue is quite a recent one, and therefore is subject to the bias of early proponents, but the fact that highly distinguished scientists are onboard with the topic engenders support for the validity of the sources.

Research Questions and Hypothesis

The volume of information available on the topic of growing poppies as a cash crop in Southern Alberta clearly supports its fiscal opportunities. The economic benefits of growing morphine-producing poppies here are immense. Southern Alberta, as a whole, stands to gain hundreds of millions of dollars for the people in the area; particularly employees of the pharmaceutical plant which stands to cost a comparatively measly forty million dollars in the plan proposed by businessmen like Glen Meltzer and his associates (Harrington, 2007, p. 192). The farmers stand to make large gains from a crop that is easier to grow, and still produces a greater profit. Due to the huge market for drugs like codeine and morphine in Canada it is likely that obtaining a market for these products will be of little concern. As a result of these findings, we believe that a project focusing on the fiscal benefits of the proposed topic would be of little use. Essentially, we know it would be feasible economically, but in order for it to become a reality it needs to overcome certain hurdles, most of which are related to the general public and the political scene.

That being said, the political aspects of obtaining approval from Health Canada, as well as the consent of important politicians such as Steven Harper are definite issues affecting this research topic. If these approvals are not granted there will be little hope of bringing poppies to Southern Alberta’s fields. The findings of this proposal will seek to clarify the reasons for their past disapproval. This research will start at the grass-roots level, examining law-enforcement and then move on to local politicians and eventually to Health Canada and the Federal government. It will be interesting to test whether this is merely an issue of logistics, a moral stance by the government, or a legitimate claim that growing the plants is not a viable option for this country, including Lethbridge and area.

In close relation to these questions is the general outlook of the population of Southern Alberta and perhaps Canada as a whole. Because of the currency of this issue it has engendered little in the way of research into public opinion as well as societal questioning. The basic question becomes whether or not public opinion and societal norms will hinder bringing poppies to Southern Alberta, thus destroying the feasibility of the entire project. Primarily, we believe the negative responses will likely result from a fear that the poppies will be used for illicit purposes.

This will be interesting to determine, particularly with the new scientific advancements contributed by scientists such as Peter Facchini, who is developing poppies without heroine-related potential, which we believe will sway public opinion in favor of the topic. With this idea comes another question, and that is to determine exactly how close Facchini’s research is to becoming a reality and the exact implications of his discoveries. With questions like these in mind, the following research objectives will be pursued:

Research Objectives

1. Determine if Health Canada will allow the commercial production of opium.
2. Determine if the project is politically feasible, and if regulations will be made like they were for marijuana producers.
3. Determine support or opposition to growing opium in Southern Alberta from various political levels.
4. Determine the influence and nature of public opinion regarding poppy growing in Southern Alberta. This will particularly focus on the opinions of local farmers whose land will be needed for production.
5. Explore all possible ethical concerns in relation to growing opium in Southern Alberta, especially in the interest of the general public.
6. Determine the progress of the scientific advances in the industry which will heavily influence the legality, public opinion and political issues surrounding the topic.

Methods

In an attempt to better understand the feasibility of opium production in Southern Alberta it is essential to examine the beliefs and concerns of the communities affected. It is also pertinent to gather more knowledge on the reality of such a proposal, by contacting legislators and experts in the field. Although primary data of opium production does currently exist, no conclusive data has been compiled for Canada. As a means of gathering necessary data for Canada our research firm believes in a mixed methods approach; a survey of the general public and a series of in-depth interviews of influential decision makers. This approach will allow for a greater depth of research, collecting quantitative data from the surveys and qualitative data through the personal interviews. The data gathered will provide a foundation to complete a comprehensive analysis upon which the final recommendations of this study will be based.

Quantitative Analysis: Telephone Interview

The quickest and most convenient method of gaining insight to public opinion is through a simple telephone interview. The effectiveness of this technique is the random and representative sample of the population is returned. In proceeding with this research we must understand the dynamics of knowledge that currently exists within the population. Statistically, we should expect to find the general public has relatively little knowledge of opium production; however, we believe the sample will most likely have strong beliefs regarding how production should be controlled. This gap in knowledge and the strong beliefs of respondents will therefore be a main focus of the telephone survey. Closely examining where deficiencies in knowledge exist and what the perceived impact of opium production is will be strategically beneficial in developing future initiatives to overcome these issues.[1] Areas in which we will focus research include: future public relations, education, and preventative/anticipatory efforts. The complete telephone survey is included in Appendix 1. To gauge the perceived impact and implications associated, we believe that Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) software will allow for greater depth of research. This will allow for standardization to occur throughout the entire research process, thereby increasing reliability and validity of results. This type of software will also allow for the immediate input of data as quantifiable and comparable variables, which will allow for an analysis of the significance, association, and the strength of relationships. This type of analysis is fully dependant on the data collection methods, which must be narrowly defined for the sake of reliability and validity.

Data Collection

While conducting the telephone interviews we recognize the need to adhere to strict guidelines. As discussed, the limited public knowledge of opium will require an experienced interviewer who will not introduce bias to the study. Our research firm considers the following to be the most common blunders in undertaking research: leading into questions; attempting to persuade participants; misreporting of information; incomplete data collection; respondent dishonesty and reluctance; selective surveying; and lack of standardization of the survey. Suits Associates International is an independent third-party research firm with no pending financial benefits which may result from the findings of this study. Our philosophy to reduce these types of research biases has always been the 5Ps Principle: Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.

First and foremost survey design is crucial to the results of the study. The ensure correct findings we need to test, and re-test, the survey before administration to determine any short-comings in flow, content, bias, and errors. The planning must also extend to all areas of survey execution. The timeframe of the survey must be throughout a given week between 8:30am and 8:30pm. Staggering the research evenly throughout the day will aid in guaranteeing a representative sample. An important variable in any quantitative research of this nature is also to assess the demographics of the samples collected. We would like to have a sample from all demographic areas: age, gender, income brackets, occupations, and education levels. This is necessary since, as past research indicates, these can be influencing factors in the findings. Most importantly, the experience of the researcher is crucial. Each interviewer must have proper training and experience to ensure validity. The assistance of CATI software will aid in standardization across questioning of the sample. One element beyond research control is the type of respondents to the survey, and the possibility they become reluctant to answer some questions. Although this will result in complete data this problem cannot be avoided, but should be minimized as much as possible. We believe this reluctance id largely due to the respondents being uncomfortable with questions or the order in which they are asked. Solid survey design is the best way to significantly reduce this reluctance. It is essential to note the cross-sectional nature of this study, in so much as it will only provide a snap-shot of the public attitude at the time of the study. As the idea of opium production in Southern Alberta becomes more familiar among the general public, we believe that opinions may change and further research may be necessary.

Regional Considerations

At this point it is difficult to fully understand how far reaching the impacts of these initiatives will be. Although we can presume that the regional impacts will be most noticeable closest to the operation. Due to the sensitive and contentious nature of this topic we believe it vital to closely examine the closest regions to the proposed grow-area. This region will experience the greatest impacts from opium production and more importantly they have the greatest power of influence over future decisions. Therefore we can limit the scope of the telephone interview to Southern Alberta. Specifically to the phone numbers in the municipal districts of:

Bighorn, Cardston, Cypress, Foothills, Forty-Mile, Kananaskis, Lethbridge, Newell, Pincher-Creek, Rocky View, Starland, Taber, Vulcan, Warner, Wheatland, and Willow-Creek

We must not, however, limit ourselves to the immediate area but must also consider the potential impacts on a national and international level. If time and financial resources exist it would be beneficial to extend the scope of research. Ideally this research would commence in Australia - closely examining the hurdles they overcame in the process of initiating opium production. Australia’s significant similarities to Canada, in terms of social and legal structures, would offer valuable insight into research concerns and concentrations. It would also be beneficial to extend the primary research to include all areas of Canada.[2] This type of primary research could then be applied to further feasibility studies. In the future our firm would advise that further research be conducted; encompassing a greater regional sample, and expanding the scope of research internationally. For the time being however, initial studies will provide useful information in determining the feasibility of opium cultivation.

Sample Size

To guarantee the accuracy of our primary research it is essential to ensure that a representative sample is gathered. Full mathematical calculations can be found in the Appendix 2. Since the population of Alberta is considered a large population, being over 10,000, with a 4.0% sampling error our necessary sample size is 625. We must factor in the total response rate expected of this population - given the nature of the topic our firm estimates the response rate around fifty-percent. This means we need to double our sample size to account for this expected response rate, essentially we can anticipate a need to contact approximately 1,250 telephone numbers in the regional area defined above. With such a sample size we can expect a 95% level of confidence in the data collected. Our firm believes this will provide the necessary exploratory information for this research initiative.

Qualitative Analysis: Personal Interviews

The second element of our primary research will include personal interviews with select project stakeholders. This exploratory research will tap the expanse of knowledge by opening discussion with important officials and influential persons. Our firm believes this research should include input from: provincial legislators, local government, university professors, law enforcement agencies, and other pertinent stakeholders. Gathering more information from these sources will allow for a detailed perspective of decision-makers and those currently involved in the idea of opium production. Before this type of qualitative research takes place, Suits Associates International recommends a full stakeholder analysis be completed. Such detailed analysis will offer sufficient background information so as to avoid the duplication of unnecessary information in our study. A stakeholder analysis will provide primary data from which new information can be gather, and more information to base future recommendations on.

Data Collection

Personal interviews are among the most detailed and in-depth of the research techniques and are the most efficient at gathering a comprehensive understanding of those involved. This effectiveness of this technique comes down to the quality of the questions asked. Included in Appendix 3 of this proposal is a full set of potential questions to ask during interviews. Please note this is a general list, from which all or a select few, can be asked of each candidate. As previously mentioned in the telephone survey section, a varying level of knowledge exists among the respondents. Therefore the questions should be carefully prepared and properly tested for applicability to each respondent. It is also recommended that prior to any interviews being carried out, the public opinion telephone survey be completed. Synthesis of the survey data can provide information to formulate a more detailed list of questions for the interviews, and will emphasize major research concerns and areas of focus.

The importance of this section cannot be underestimated, as it provides exploratory research into the regulatory forces affecting potential opium production. The data collected can be utilized in developing future recommendations and strategy. Therefore it is essential that information is accurately recorded. Utilizing a digital recorder and properly transcribing will minimize error as much as possible, but reviews of the transcribing accuracy will also be necessary. Although Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) do exist, it is of the belief of our research team that these are underdeveloped and will only serve to complicate the research process, and should not be used. As aforementioned there are numerous problems to be aware of in data collection, including: leading questions, attempting to persuade participants, misreporting of information, incomplete data collection, respondent dishonesty and reluctance. It is essential to minimize these errors as much as possible to ensure validity and reliability of results. The best way to do this is by employing an experienced research with a vast knowledge of the subject. Another method to minimize error is by ensuring that data recording is completed the same day as the data is collected. This will allow for the researcher to fully remember the context of the interview and make supplementary notes regarding the data collection process.

Interviews should take place at the convenience of both the person to be interviewed and the researcher. Scheduling interview times should be among the first tasks completed; at which time full disclosure to the potential participants must take place. Past experience indicates it is usually best to disseminate information through a detailed cover-letter. This letter should include: the nature of research, what the information will be used for, and how the information collected will be protected. The time-frame of the actual interview should also be disclosed to participants - current estimates are two hours per interview. This should provide sufficient time to gather the pertinent information and ask any follow-up questions. Before the interview begins it would be interesting to have participants complete the telephone survey - results from each survey will provide basic exploratory information for each respondent.

Sample

Given the qualitative nature of the personal interviews, a much smaller and more select sample can be drawn of the population. This portion of the research requires a diversity of different experts from various fields. The following list represents group headings by which each respondent can be placed: provincial legislator, local government, university professor, law enforcement agency, and other. Each of the individuals selected as interview candidates have been short-listed by our firm as the best; included are their name, position, location, and a short description of their importance to this research.

Provincial Legislators

- Rick Casson, Lethbridge MP:

o Discussion with Mr. Casson will shed light on the regional and provincial concerns that currently exist.

- Dave Hancock, Alberta Minister of Health and Wellness (Edmonton):

o Mr. Hancock will confirm the importance of this issue as a health-related matter, and give insight into what needs to be completed before this project becomes reality.

- Ed Stelmach, Alberta Premier (Edmonton):

o As current leader of the provincial government Mr. Stelmach will be able to give definitive answers - regarding what needs to be done, what should be done, how things must be done, and if things can be done.

Local Government

- Bob Tarlek, Lethbridge Mayor

o Mr. Tarlek will be able to fully demonstrate the regional concerns. Already he has participated in initial research studies of opium production in the Lethbridge County.

- Current Lethbridge Alderpersons (depending on availability)

o Any more information that can be gathered regarding the regulatory forces affecting opium production is necessary.

- Municipal District Authorities (depending on availability)

o Any more information that can be gathered regarding the regulatory forces affecting opium production is necessary.

University Professors

- Peter Fachinni, University of Calgary Professor (Calgary):

o The details of Dr. Fachinni’s research and his progress will play a crucial role in this research study!

- Danny Le Roy, University of Lethbridge Professor (Lethbridge):

o As the leading professor in the economics of agriculture markets , Mr. Le Roy will be able to shed light on the opium market trends, demonstrate the potential international impacts, and compare/contrast opium production to traditional farming methods.

Law Enforcement

- RCMP Drug Enforcement Representative (Calgary):

o Discussion with the enforcement authorities will provide information on what preventative efforts must be taken to ensure complete success of such initiatives.

- D.A.R.E Provincial Coordinator (location unknown):

o As a youth program specifically designed to inform and prevent illicit drug/alcohol use - we believe they will offer much needed representation of our young people.

Other

- Glen Metzler, Metzler Trading Co. (Lethbridge):

o A vocal proponent of opium production in Southern Alberta - Glen will provide useful input, and valuable information that may not have been included in prior research.

- Carol Harrington, Alberta Venture Author of “Albertastan”

o An expert in global production of opium, both for pharmaceutical and illicit use, Carol will likely provide us with enlightening insights into poppy production, the hurdles, benefits, etc. and will likely be beneficial for obtaining further contacts for the research of this topic (i.e. snowball method).

Research ethics

The consideration of ethics in our research is of vital importance. If our data is collected unethically or used unethically, how would it be possible for the stakeholders of this new industry to make critical decisions based on unethically derived conclusions? We are therefore striving to understand the possible ways ethics are violated during the research process so we can avoid them. Some possible ethical violations that can occur while collecting data include but are not limited to leading questions, attempts to persuade participants and misreporting of information. Additional violations could be not disclosing one’s identity and purpose as well as both accidental and purposeful manipulation during interviews.

As a basic rule, our participants will never be deceived whether it be during the collection, the use, or the distribution of data. We are also striving to keep possible psychological stress to an absolute minimum. Participants may have problems and concerns that are not easily perceived, and as a result of an interview or telephone survey they could potentially be subject to a degree of psychological stress. Our interviews and survey questions are not designed to be stressful and in addition, the subject matter of this research is highly opinion based.

It is possible during our data collection that we may encounter individuals involved in illegal substance abuse. Substance abuse is not part of our research, and so any information of this nature would either remain confidential or be removed from our data.

Monetary compensation will be used as an initiative for participants in our research. There are five Calgary Flames ticket packages each including 2 tickets, one night accommodation at the Ramada and a $100 gift certificate for Boston Pizza. The ethical issue with the financial inducement is in deciding who gets what. To ensure that this process is be unbiased we would use an independent third party to draw names for the tickets. This will avoid any accusations or temptations to award the ticket packages to friends, relatives or associates.

The identity of telephone survey participants would remain confidential because there is no reason for that information to be collected. The interviews, on the other hand, will mostly be people who are already in the public eye. The information they provide and their identities will be a part of the data. These individuals would be required to sign a consent form in which they agree to our proposed methods of data collection and use. In addition, they would be reminded that they have the right to discontinue the interview, have the notes destroyed or remain anonymous.

Time Scale and Resources

To utilize our time effectively we have constructed a Gantt chart. This chart will give us visual incentive to keep up with the work we have set out for ourselves.

Our key activities include stakeholder analysis, telephone survey, personal interviews and the steps to prepare for these activities. For our research to be beneficial, certain activities must precede others. For instance, before we are able to finalize our objectives we need to run a full stakeholder analysis to see the possible benefits and drawbacks which may affect potential stakeholders. This information will allow us to make better informed decisions when choosing our objectives, thus giving our research more strength and purpose. When regarding the telephone survey and the interviews, it is imperative that we run pilot tests. Failure to do this can result in the collection of invalid or unreliable data. This is why the activities preceding our data collection are nearly as important as the final choice of methods. Our survey and interviews will be sources of our most relevant information.

Each of the activities involved in our research will take between one and eight weeks to complete. Our stakeholder analysis will take three weeks to complete. Compared to the telephone survey this is not very long as it will require approximately eight to ten weeks, depending on our response rate. To get a general understanding of the public opinion of opium production we need to survey 13,590 people. Needless to say this will take a long time and cost a lot of money. We estimate the cost of this activity to be between $25,000 and $60,000 including software and data input. We will likely incur lower costs if we perform the survey ourselves and higher costs if we contract the survey out. We have a relatively small amount of interviews to conduct and so they should not take us too long. We expect roughly three weeks, assuming that we are able to coordinate our schedules with those of our interviewees. This cost is will dependant on our decision whether or not to employ a professional interviewer. This has the potential to cost upwards of $25,000. Altogether, the cost of this research project should range from $65,000 to $100,000. These figures depend on how amount of work we do ourselves rather than outsource. These costs will be covered by corporate farms, investors, and pharmaceutical companies who share vested interest in the opium industry. We expect these sources to willingly absorb the cost of our research because of the significant gains they stand to receive in the future as a result of our findings. Our most scarce resource in this project is time. These findings have the potential to launch multimillion dollar industry in Alberta. A moderate budget will restrict us from finishing quickly and enabling investors to enter the industry.

Discussion

It is important, as researchers, to be able to assess our research process without bias. One can bring greater insight if they are able to understand how the information will be applied and what its results will be. We also examine our research in order to either improve the current project or learn from our mistakes for future research.

If we are correct and the information proves that this is a feasible project for Southern Alberta then we will hope that our findings will be valued enough that they influence government policies and decision making. In this case, there is potential for many people to be positively affected; especially in a time when the world is plagued by such global diversity. There is an infinite difference in the quality of lifestyle in North America as opposed to many developing nations, and it is the reason that we generally live and die in comfort while less fortunate people are denied pain relief. This is caused by an overall shortage of the opium which is required to produce painkillers. People everywhere would have a better chance to escape their pain and live more comfortably when battling hardships such as chronic disease and terminal illness.

On an international scale, this could even affect the political state in Afghanistan, because their main source of income for the Taliban’s military funding comes from illegally growing and selling opium as heroine. If Fachinni were able to completely manipulate the poppy plant so that it was useless to drug dealers, then more countries would likely grow poppies and would not rely as heavily on Afghanistan for their opium for painkillers. In theory, this would make it possible to destroy all of their illegal opium operations and take away a significant source of power, but it all rests entirely on Fachinni’s ability to make the perfect poppy.

Preliminary research has already given substantial evidence to suggest a large boom in Alberta’s agriculture industry which has been suffering for some time now. Given Saskatchewan’s similar geographic characteristics, which are ideal for poppy growing, it would not be surprising to see them revitalize their economy by entering the market as well. These provinces would better the Canadian economy as a whole, aside from possible negative affects on its relationship with the United States. This is an area which our research does not venture very far, as it would be extremely expensive and time consuming if we were to attempt to expand our research thoroughly into the United States. We know that they were unhappy when Canada de-legalized marijuana for medicinal use, but would opium be the final straw? Trade with the states is very important for Canada and so it would be beneficial to research possible consequences which these actions could have.

Another aspect of our research that we are currently taking for granted is the current opium price on a per hectare basis. Anytime there is a large change in any industry - like genetically engineering poppies which cannot be used to make heroine - there is bound to be a change in the market and likely the market price as well. We can probably assume that because the global demand right now is a long way from being met, that the price will probably remain high; however, it is a difficult variable to try to manipulate.

The debate over medicinal drug use is a question that not everyone will agree on any time soon. There will always be people who disagree about whether or not anyone should be growing opium; and as long as there are people in disagreement about it then we will still need to continue researching the topic. It is something that is continually changing because the people are continually changing. It would be possible to pick up future research regarding a wide range of related issues due to its complex nature.

If Alberta does decide to grow poppies then a person could spend a long time doing further research about its effects. There are many topics that could stem from this approach. We would likely start by looking at the effects which are locally visible. This would involve the families and businesses involved in the agriculture industry and would continue to spread outwards from there. We would broaden our focus to include all of Canada, and then maybe all of North America, and eventually look at any international effects. We have the freedom to assess the situation from as broad or as narrow of a perspective as need be. Besides, without knowing the results it is very difficult to guess where the most significant changes are going to occur. To examine these results afterwards would be would be advantageous in the sense that it would not be overly difficult to look at many of the same factors which are presented in this proposal, and there is already a list of contacts and sample groups who are relevant to the topic. Even the majority of the literature and any background knowledge would be really helpful.

Whatever happens at this point, we can be sure that it is going to be interesting, and we will still be waiting to try to explain, explore and discover the reason that these things happen the way they do.

Reference List

Castaldo, J. (2007, February 26). Cowboy Junkies? Canadian Business Online. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/commodities/article.jsp?content=20070226_85333_85333

CBC News Analysis and Viewpoint. (2007, July 5). Opium Economics,

CBC News Canada/Calgary. (2007, February 26). Let Alberta farmers grow poppies for painkillers, says businessman. Retrieved October 13, 2007, from http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2007/02/06/alberta-poppies.html

CBC News Canada/Calgary. (2007, July 27). Police bust poppy grow-op in Calgary backyard. Retrieved November 11, 2007, from

CBC News In Depth. (February 7, 2007). The Global Opium Trade, Time for another look at limited legalization. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/drugs/opium.html

Ending illegal opium production in Afghanistan: Why there are no silver bullets. Retrieved October 12, 2007, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_drohan/20070705.html

Harrington, C. (2007, September). Albertastan: opium poppies could become Alberta’s next - legal - cash crop. Alberta Venture, 11(9), 190-195.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2007/07/27/poppy-bust.html?ref=rss

McLaughlin, K. (2007, October 11). Addicted to Ideology. The Meloroist, p. 5.

RCMP. Drug Enforcement Branch. (2007). Goal. Retrieved November 13, 2007 from http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/drugenf/drugs_e.htm

Summerfield, R. (2002, January 18). Calgary University Studies Poppy Crop. The Calgary Herald. Retrieved from http://www.poppies.org/news/10113674777040.shtml

Appendix 1

Telephone Survey

Telephone number: ________________

Date and time: ________________

Survey ID Number: ________________

“Hello, my name is Krunk, I am calling on behalf of Suits Associates International. Can I please speak to the person with the next birthday in the household? (pause)

“We are currently doing a survey, gauging public-opinion of a recent proposal to grow opium for medicinal purposes in Southern Alberta. Your phone number was randomly selected to participate in a short survey. Is now a convenient time for you to partake in a 5-minute survey? If so, as a gesture of our appreciation your name will be entered into a draw for one of five Calgary Flames Home Tickets Packages.

IF NO:

“If now is not a good time, when would be a good time to call back?

[record call-back date and time, give 800 number, thank and terminate]

IF YES:

“Okay, perfect - let’s get started! I have a short list of questions - please try and keep your answers brief, but feel free to say whatever you like - all of your answers will be kept private, confidential, and anonymous and will not be sold or given to any other companies. And please remember, if at any time you wish to stop, or do not feel comfortable answering a question - you have the right to say pass.

(Interviewer: please enter male or female or, if necessary, say “I am sorry, my phone is muffled, am I speaking to a male or female?”)

o Male

o Female

“Let’s start with general questions; these are intended to get to know you better.

Q1. In which year were you born? (wait for response.)

Q2. What is the general field of your occupation?

- Student

- Management

- Health Services

- Sciences

- Education

- Trade

- Professional

- Self-Employed

- Service

- Other

Q3.If you had to classify yourself in an income bracket which would it be:

o $0 - 15,000

o $15,001 - 25,000

o $25,001 - 35,000

o $35,001 - 45,000

o $45,001 - 60,000

o $60,001+

Q4.Have you ever used opium, or opium derivatives? (morphine, codeine, thebaine, papverine)

o Yes

o No

o Unsure

o No Answer

Q5.Using a scale from one to ten, where ten is the highest, and one is the lowest, how would you rank the following:

o Your knowledge of opium.

o Public’s knowledge of opium.

“Now we would like to ask you a few questions regarding the possibilities of growing opium in Southern Alberta.”

Q6. North American countries are the leading importers of opium derivatives for both illicit medicinal purposes. Because poppies can also be transformed into an abused substance, how would you respond if a crop were to be produced in Southern Alberta purely for medicinal reasons?

o Strongly Agree

o Agree

o Neutral

o Disagree

o Strongly Disagree

Q7. If the opium plant could be genetically modified, making it substantially more difficult to transform into an illicit substance (like heroin), would this reduce potential risks associated with opium production?

o Strongly Agree

o Agree

o Neutral

o Disagree

o Strongly Disagree

Q8. Do you feel that such an initiative should be undertaken by private enterprise or by the federal government?

o Strictly private enterprise

o Mix of both - more private

o Mix of both - more government

o Strictly government

o Unsure

o No answer

Q9. How strongly do you agree with the following statements (using strongly agree - strongly disagree):

Strongly Agree | Agree | Neutral | Disagree | Strongly Disagree

o Opium production is necessary to today’s society.

o Southern Alberta would be a suitable location to grow opium.

o My friends and family would likely support this type of initiative.

o Opium production would benefit the Canadian economy.

Q10. Given the nature of the opium plant and the operation required to extract the medicinal properties, do you foresee any significant issues regarding labour and/or security in the future?

o Yes

o No

o Do not know

o No Answer

(If yes: can you provide any examples? Wait for response.)

“Now we will ask some questions regarding your personal opinion. Feel free to say whatever you like and briefly explain your answers. Everything you say will remain confidential and anonymous and will not be sold or given to any other companies.”

Q11. Who would you name as the primary stakeholders to play a major influencing role for this type of production?” (wait for response.)

Q12. What do you feel are necessary steps that must be followed before any actual production begins?”

(wait for response.)

Q13. In your opinion - would the public opinion of Alberta support or oppose this type of initiative?”

(wait for response.)

Q14. Thank you. We are almost done. Do you have any other concerns, comments or questions regarding this issue that we may record. If so, we may be able to reply to you at a later date via email or telephone.”

(wait for response)

“In the future, if we have more questions or require members for a focus group would you be interested in participating again?” (wait for response.)

“Would you like to receive more information in the future regarding opium production in Southern Alberta?” (wait for response.)

“If you have any further questions or comments, we can be reached by:

- Telephone at 1-800-843-8876

- Or by email at egheieotj@gmail.com.

“That is all of the questions we currently have. Your name and phone number have been entered into a draw for one of five Calgary Flames ticket packages - which include 2 tickets and accommodation. We will be contacting the winners within one month. Thank you very much for all of your time!”

Time conversation ended: _______________________

---

Appendix 2

Sample Size Calculation

Total population of Alberta = 3,474,000

Eligible population within Alberta (over 18 years of age) = 2,500,000 (approx.70%)

Tolerable Margin of Error	4.0%
Confidence Level	95.0%
Sample Size Required	625
Response Rate	50%
Actual Sample to Send	1250
Ineligible (~30%)	375

Appendix 3

Personal Interview Question List

Please note this is a general list, from which all or a select few, can be asked of each candidate

Economic

- What is the current demand for opium/opium derivatives in the legal marketplace?

- How does current supply issues (ie: instability in Afghanistan) affect the market?

- How would Southern Alberta opium production impact Canadian drug prices? International drug prices?

o Will this benefit the end consumers?

o What implications does this have for our healthcare system?

- How will this impact the pharmaceutical industry?

- How does opium compare to a traditional crop?

o Do potential benefits outweigh the potential disadvantages created?

- How may the production region be economically impacted by this type of project?

- What type of facility do you believe would best suit such an operation?

Provincial Issues

- How serious is the province of Alberta in supporting such an initiative?

- What regulatory measures need to be investigated?

- How does current legislation apply to this proposal?

- What level of government involvement do you feel is necessary to ensure that the operations run smoothly?

- What are the necessary steps to complete in order to be considered a potential applicant for production?

- What are the potential kickbacks to the province if the initiatives were to be supported?

- What does this mean for the average Albertan?

- If the opium plant can be genetically altered to make it more difficult to derive heroin from it - how do you believe this will affect the feasibility of Southern Alberta production?

Regional Issues

- How will opium production impact the RCMP? (or other law enforcement agencies)

o What will be the biggest obstacle presented to drug enforcement agencies as a result of opium production?

- What do you believe will be “fallout” of opium production? (negative implications)

o Impact on illicit drug use, prices, availability?

o What is the acceptable level of “leakage”?

- If such an initiative is approved, what do you believe to be the best course of action regarding public relations?

o What types of educational programs are necessary?

International Implications

- How will the United States react to such initiatives?

- What do you believe will be the response from the international community? (Specifically the United Nations)

- How will their reactions influence the overall feasibility of opium production in Southern Alberta?

- What balance do you believe to be necessary between private enterprise involvement and government involvement?

---

[1] For example, the population may believe that opium production may bring about an increase in regional drug use, or they may draw a correlation between opium and an increase in violent offences.

[2] This could be done through randomly-sampling from phone numbers where 25-30% is from across Canada and the remaining 70-75% are from the Southern Alberta region. This would require some modification in the survey design as to allow for isolation of the regional variables.

—

southern-alberta-opium-production-feasibility-study

*Group project done in Fall 2007 at the University of Lethbridge.

**This was written before the 2008 spike in world food commodity prices.

–/