Legalization 2.0- What you need to know about the new regulations for edibles and concentrates.

New regulations governing the production and sale of cannabis edibles, extracts, and topicals will come into effect on October 17, 2019, marking the one year anniversary of cannabis legalization in Canada. Here’s what you need to know.

What's to come with legalization 2.0

Edibles (including beverages), topicals (such as creams or lotions), and extracts (such as wax or shatter) will join dried and fresh cannabis flower, seeds, pre-rolled joints and oils in the legal marketplace.

Consumers should expect to see edibles and other new products available for sale in cannabis stores no earlier than mid-December. Licensed producers will need time to familiarize and adjust to the new regulations, and must also provide Health Canada with 60 days notice of any new products being made available.

Unsurprisingly, regulations surrounding the packaging and potency of these new products will be strict. All edible products will require plain, child resistant packaging. The government is trying hard to limit the youth appeal of these products, so don’t expect to see any gummies or lollipops. As for vapour products, the government has said it will limit certain flavours that are appealing to a younger audience.

Packages will bear the standardized cannabis symbol and a health warning. Producers also won’t be able to make any claims regarding health or nutritional benefits on product labels.

Maximum allowed Cannabis edible limits

Edibles and extracts will be limited to a maximum of 10mg of THC per package. This is quite a low limit, and has already raised eyebrows across the industry. Black and grey-market edibles frequently contain 50-100mg of THC, and these limits may also negatively impact medical patients, whose products sometimes range as high as 1000mg of THC. Cannabis infused beverages, in addition to THC limits, will not be allowed to be mixed with alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine.

Over-packaging has also been raised as a concern, with many claiming that low THC limits will force consumers to purchase more products to reach their desired dose, and will generate unnecessary amounts of plastic waste.

Maximum allowed Cannabis topical limits

Topical products will be limited to 1000mg of THC per package, and will be subjected to the same packaging rules as edibles. CBD has been omitted from this round of regulation updates, a move that surprised many industry spectators. CBD remains a controlled product under the Cannabis Act, despite not having psychoactive properties. This mean that it can still only legally come from licensed producers and be sold at licensed cannabis stores.

Once these new items come on line later this year, you will easliy be able to find the nearest Cannabis Store to you that has your desired items in stock at instaleaf.ca or through the InstaLeaf app.

Stay Lifted,

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