The official list of what will be available in Canada once edibles and other cannabis products become legal
When cannabis became legal for recreational use on October 17, 2018, what was left out of the Canadian government's plans were anything beyond some dry herb. While it seemed like a really good start to officially decriminalize the possession of over 30 grams, many Canadian have been anxiously awaiting other cannabis product alternatives including edibles, concentrates, tinctures, topical treatments, juice, and more. There are only a handful of affordable ways to consume dried marijuana without having to smoke it, keeping many potential customers waiting for a healthier or more potent option to hit the shelves. Those Canadians felt a little bit of relief when the federal government finally announced that cannabis-infused edibles and marijuana concentrates would be legally available for purchase on or before October 17, 2019.
Many say that the old legislation left out tremendous opportunities for Canada as edibles are one of the busiest sections of the black market right now. Instead of allowing legitimate Canadian businesses to manufacture and sell these products, the federal government forced anyone interested in other options to purchase on the black market to obtain what they wanted. Making these changes will mean a huge boost for the economy, the cannabis market, and the selection of cannabis-related products that will be available to Canadians through legal means. Most Canadian companies that are interested in getting into the industry are calling it the second wave of legalization and looking towards places like Colorado that already have bustling stores full of legal edibles available for sale. This shift in legislation will allow local companies to develop their brand and create new and exciting high-quality products that have never been seen before.
New regulation
So far we know that cannabis products will be broken up into three categories including topicals, extracts, and edibles. The cannabinoid CBD will not be restricted, but each group will have a different maximum allowable amount of THC per package. The group limits are:
Edibles- Each package of THC infused edibles will be limited to a maximum of 10 mg of THC per package.
Topicals- Topicals will have a maximum potency of 1000 mg per package and cannot make health claims.
Extracts- Just like with topicals extracts will also have a limit of 1000 mg of THC per package and cannot make health claims.
Restrictions go a little deeper with all three groups required to maintain plain packaging that is not child oriented. They also must not advertise any of their products towards children in any way. Edibles are the only ones to be restricted on the kinds of ingredients that can be used to make them. Edibles also cannot contain any colors, sweeteners, or any additional ingredients that may encourage a child to consume them. All cannabis-infused products will also need to be packaged inside a child-resistant package.
What this means for Canadians
When will edibles be available in Canada? Well, we aren’t entirely certain just yet, but we do have an idea of what the market will look like as far as what will likely hit the market of available products for consumers. So far there have only been whispers about any Canadian companies’ intentions for making specific products, but the list of marijuana-infused products we can expect to see will likely include THC infused coffee, cannabis energy drinks, cannabis nasal spray, THC jelly beans, cannabis eye drops, THC infused topical creams, cannabis shampoo and conditioner, and so much more. Unfortunately, we won’t be seeing any gummy bears or chocolate candies that resemble some of our favorites as they may be considered too appealing towards youth, but it’s an excellent start and an exciting time for cannabis consumers.
