In case you missed it, the World Health Organization (WHO) made the announcement that most people were expecting this past Wednesday, March 11: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is officially a pandemic.

The first cannabis store in Waterloo and the third in the region is officially open.

Bud and Sally Cannabis Company held its grand opening on Saturday and welcomed in the public at noon.

“We’re doing all that we can to create a warm shopping place for our customers,” said store owner John Radostits. “With all the thing’s going on in the world it’s pretty exciting to have a friendly place to buy your cannabis.”

Dear Herb: How am I supposed to legally transport weed in my car? — Road Tripper

Dear Road Tripper: As with so many issues surrounding legalization in Canada, it depends on where you live — the federal Cannabis Act doesn’t address the issue of transporting cannabis in a vehicle, so it’s up to provincial and territorial governments. The overarching theme across those different legal jurisdictions is this: Like alcohol, cannabis should never be in reach of a vehicle’s driver or passengers. Some provinces and territories allow cannabis to be within reach if it’s still sealed in the original container.

What’s the most popular sport in the world? According to World Atlas, it’s football (soccer), followed by cricket, field hockey, and tennis. Other internationally popular sports include volleyball, basketball, baseball, rugby, hockey, and golf. What do they all have in common? They ban the use of performance-enhancing drugs and do not condone the use of cannabis.

Globally, many sports leagues prohibit the use of cannabis by athletes. The Olympics also prohibits cannabis use. Most leagues incorporate drug testing that looks for the presence of THC, but not necessarily CBD or other cannabinoids.

Before cannabis edibles arrived on the market in late 2019 and early 2020, there were heated discussions about Health Canada’s limit on cannabinoid content: 10 mg would the maximum amount of THC and CBD per package, whether it was two milligrams of five candies, or one chocolate bar containing 10 mg.

Some cannabis aficionados decried what they perceived as a far-too-low level of THC, especially for those with a higher tolerance or who had already been sampling products labelled with amounts as high as 200 mg on the illicit market. But Health Canada stayed firm, citing concerns about keeping curious children safe from harrowing accidental doses.

According to new research, the average age when teens first try drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, has risen since 2004.

The advent of marijuana reform across North America caused politicians and parents alike to worry about teenagers having easy access to cannabis. But in places where marijuana has become legal for adult-use, adolescents are smoking weed less, not more. This is true in Canada, where marijuana is more recently legal, as well as a city like Denver, an early site of recreational marijuana.

Today there are literally thousands of CBD oil products on the market, so how can consumers choose quality products?

CBD oil is an amazing supplement, but now it’s also an unregulated, fast-growing industry. That means there are unscrupulous scam-artists trying to rip off consumers, too.

Are there signs of quality CBD oil that you can use to determine if it’s reliable or snake oil?

Over 2,000 people visited the Moncton Coliseum on Saturday for Canada's first cannabis consumer event featuring a provincial government-operated cannabis pop-up store.

The consumer-focused event featured interactive exhibits, educational sessions, and product sampling from some of Canada's top cannabis producers. Most of all, it was a chance for over fifteen suppliers to showcase the benefits of legal pot.

"It's a very good opportunity for the city and the province as well to become more open to the cannabis culture," says consumer, Joshua Newbury.

"If we can convert some people from the black market to the legal market, that's obviously a huge win," says Canna Island chief operating officer, Sam Murphy.

The Ontario Cannabis Store generated approximately $4.3 million in sales from cannabis 2.0 products last month, according to a statement issued by the provincial retailer Friday afternoon. 

$3.77 million came from sales of vape products and an additional $569,000 was generated from sales of edibles for the month of January. 

The figures included sales to retailers across the province and online sales through OCS.ca. 

“Every new product we introduce, every price drop we make and every authorized retail store that opens strengthens the legal marketplace,” says Cheri Mara, chief commercial officer at the OCS. 

There are currently 43 cannabis stores in Ontario, according to the latest update from the Alcohol and Gaming Corporation of Ontario. 

Better late than never.

At long last, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) has released its annual report, albeit almost a year after the conclusion of the fiscal year that it covers.

The report details the Crown corporation’s “formative actions, financial performance and significant accomplishments” from Apr. 1, 2018 to Mar. 31, 2019 — about six months before adult-use cannabis became federally legal and six months after, respectively.