Moncton recently played host to what is being called the first-ever consumer show where cannabis products were available for purchase on-site, albeit exclusively through Cannabis NB.

Cannabis lovers from all over New Brunswick descended upon the Moncton Coliseum this past weekend for a customer-focused, cannabis consumer event.

This event, however, had a little something extra: a government-run, cannabis pop-up shop that featured some of event partner Cannabis NB’s latest and greatest new products, such as infused edibles and beverages.

Other vendors showed products like CBD-infused soaps and bath bombs, which are not yet available at the provincial cannabis store, but that may be in the future.

The event further provided companies an opportunity to educate cannabis consumers about other products, such as liquid-filled vapes, which could be intimidating for the uninitiated, particularly in light of last year’s health scare around illicit vaping devices. Vape pens and cartridges also became available recently on the shelves of the Crown corporation stores.

It is reported more than 2,000 cannabis enthusiasts attended the Cannabis at the Coliseum event to participate in information sessions and interactive demonstrations and even sample some of the weed-infused wares from the 15 participating licensed cannabis producers across the country.

One information session on reasonable prices for various products explored how consumers could get the best bud on a budget.

The hope of organizers and event participants is that the event will help nudge consumers away from the illicit market by sparking interest in the province’s newest array of pot products.

“I’ve talked to multiple people today that have never been in a Cannabis NB store. They still buy their product on the black market,” Sam Murphy, chief operating officer for Canna Island, the P.E.I.-based cannabis and hospitality group that put together the event, told CBC News.

“If we can convert some people from the black market to the legal market, that’s obviously a huge win,” Murphy said.

Despite the access, though, provincial laws meant that smoking and vaping were verboten in the indoor venue, as was chowing down on cannabis-infused edibles.

Organizers are hopeful that may change in the future, but this time around, attendees had to wait until they got home to sample their new products