Cannabis edibles are among the most popular marijuana products. Canadian consumers are waiting for edibles products to be available in stores. Canada legalized edibles, beverages, vapes, and concentrates on October 17, 2019. Health Canada regulations require a 60-day process for cannabis companies to obtain licenses to release their products. Expectations were that edibles could be available in stores by the end of 2019. Now, it appears Manitoba could start selling edibles by next week.

Manitoba to sell cannabis edibles next week

The CBC reported on December 16 that Manitoba could receive edibles for sale by next week. Provincial wholesaler Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries stated that suppliers had started delivering cannabis-infused edibles to shops on December 16. Delta 9 Cannabis, a licensed cannabis producer and wholesaler, told CBC that some of its products were shipped on Monday and should be received soon. The retailer’s first air shipments of vape and edibles products were shipped from Auxly in Prince Edward Island and Aurora in Toronto this week.

According to CBC, Delta 9 expects to receive vape oils, pens, cartridges, and disposable pens, gummies, chocolates, and mints. However, weather conditions and transportation delays could affect deliveries.

Other retailers in the province, such as Garden Variety and Tokyo Smoke, also expect some edibles products to be available in their stores within a week.

Manitoba marijuana consumption rules are strict

Manitobans will soon see edibles products on the market. However, the government is tightening the marijuana laws in the province. In November, Global News reported that Manitoba’s government had introduced a bill that would now include edibles products on the province’s ban list. Earlier, Manitoba banned the smoking or vaping of recreational marijuana in public places. However, the government also said products that don’t contain THC won’t be banned.

When will edibles be available in other provinces?

While Manitoba is ready to sell edibles, other provinces might have to wait awhile. The regulations are stricter in Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. Hence, these provinces won’t see marijuana edibles until 2020. However, the Ontario government is planning to show leniency on the number of retail shops private retailers can own. This could be beneficial for the province since it’s expecting huge demand for Cannabis 2.0 products. To read more about Ontario and Cannabis 2.0, read Could Ontario’s Retail Ramp-Up Help Cannabis? and Ontario Cannabis Retail: A Much-Needed Update.

Concerns associated with cannabis edibles products

Surveys have shown that many consumers would like to try edibles for medicinal purposes. Many people don’t like smoking cannabis, and people with lung-related diseases prefer edibles over smoking marijuana. Hence, edibles are in demand, even for medical purposes. It’s why Maryland is currently working to legalize edibles for medicinal purposes. To learn more, read Are Cannabis Edibles Coming to Maryland Soon?

One concern with edibles is that it takes longer for the product to show its effect on the body. Hence, the chances of overconsuming are higher. It also stays in the body longer.

Health Canada’s regulations for Cannabis 2.0 specify 10 mg of THC per edible product. However, Dr. Paul Daeninck, an oncologist with Cancer Care Manitoba, feels the quantity could be high for someone who is consuming marijuana for the first time. He said if the THC dosage is too high, it could cause hallucinations, paranoia, and euphoria.

Besides, the edibles category has a varied range compared to the marijuana flower or oil forms. The Cannabis 2.0 product range includes chocolates, brownies, gums, mints, gummy bears, tinctures, vapes, oils, lozenges, and lollipops.

Marijuana companies are waiting to sell their edibles products

Cannabis companies have spent a significant amount of research and production on edibles products. Recently, Canopy Growth (CGC) (WEED) announced the launch of various cannabis beverages. Aurora Cannabis (ACB) also provided an update on its Cannabis 2.0 portfolio. Cronos Group (CRON), Aphria (APHA), and HEXO (HEXO) are also ready with their Cannabis 2.0 product portfolios. That edibles will soon hit stores is good news for cannabis companies. At 12:19 PM ET today, ACB was up 5.7%, while CGC was up 2.0%. Cronos Group stock was up 3.2%, HEXO was up 5.4%, and Aphria was up 1.4%.

Cannabis companies have struggled to achieve profitability this year despite expectations. To learn more, take a look at Cannabis Sector 2019 Review and 2020 Outlook. Companies expect better revenues to kick in soon and are waiting for their products to hit stores. However, it’s hard to anticipate how edibles sales will turn out. Currently, edibles and beverages have considerable demand. However, the success of Cannabis 2.0 will depend on the availability of the products in legal stores at a reasonable price.