The vast majority (87 per cent) of Canadian business owners said they haven’t had any cannabis-related incidents in the workplace since recreational cannabis was legalized last October, according to a new survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

Just eight per cent said they had experienced an incident, while five per cent were unsure. Employers with 100 to 499 employees were the most likely (22 per cent) to say they’d experienced an incident. By industry, hospitality (16 per cent), enterprises and administration management (14 per cent) and natural resources (11 per cent) were most likely to have had an incident.

Along with planting bulbs and clearing out dying annuals, some Ontario gardeners now have a new fall tradition: harvesting their cannabis plants. 

"Now is the most exciting time of growing at home," said Katy Perry, who owns a hydroponic supply store in Toronto. 

"Your plant is finally ready to be chopped down, dried, cured and consumed." 

Last week, Canada marked one year since legalization, making this the first time that Ontarians have been able to legally cultivate cannabis over the summer growing season. 

It starts with a high school student innocently tapping a classmate on the shoulder.

When the teen turns around, their classmate exhales a cloud of vapour from an e-cigarette directly into their face.

Some teens might consider this a harmless joke, but the London region’s top public health officer – who calls the behavior “vape blasting” – says it’s a sign of how rampant e-cigarette use has become in London secondary schools.

B.C.’s solicitor general says the province wants to see as much small-scale production as possible for marijuana edibles to allow for regional economic development.

“I don’t want it to be dominated by one or two large-scale variety of producers,” Mike Farnworth said Friday. “I think there’s room in this market for a considerable variety or product and a considerable variety of producers.”

He said that while provinces are responsible for retail operations and enforcement, the licensed production of cannabis, including edibles, is decided by the federal government, and any changes to regulations will become apparent if a new government takes office after Monday’s federal election.

The black market for recreational weed in Ontario is not going anywhere soon.

With just two dozen stores scattered throughout the province, along with the government-run and online-only Ontario Cannabis Store, residents seeking a high rely mainly illicit sources of pot a year after the federal government legalized its consumption.

“I would argue that 80% is illicit in Ontario,” said Chris Damas, editor of The BCMI Cannabis Report, a newsletter that focuses on cannabis stocks.

This has been a big week for the marijuana industry. On Thursday, Oct. 17, regulations concerning cannabis derivatives -- e.g., edibles, vapes, concentrates, topicals, and infused beverages -- went into effect.

While cannabis edibles are now technically legal, a Dalhousie University professor doesn't expect to see any legal product available before mid December.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois says although the product became legal on Thursday, October 17th, Health Canada has requested two months for products to be approved before they are sold for consumption.

"As of Thursday, companies can submit a proposal to Health Canada for approval," Charlebois says.

One major area of concern for Health Canada is surrounding cannabis edibles that might appeal to children and teens, which Charlebois says is being dealt with by the Federal government.

With more cannabis products entering the legal market, novice consumers may feel intimidated by products they are unfamiliar with, such as vaporizers, topicals, and edibles.

Most Canadians believe the stigma surrounding cannabis use has decreased since legalization and is a positive economic contributor, but wish they were better informed about their products.

The regulation of cannabis vape pens in Canada arrives in the middle of widespread concern over an outbreak of serious lung ailments and deaths linked to vaping.

U.S. health officials have reported 1,299 cause of lung injuries and 26 deaths. In Canada, two confirmed and three probable cases of vaping-related lung illness have been reported as of Oct. 17.

Most of the victims in the U.S. had been vaping THC, the chemical component of cannabis that causes the high, according to the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Vaping products containing THC, especially those purchased from illicit or informal sources, “play a major role in the outbreak,” according to the agency.

One year after recreational cannabis was legalized in Canada, Manitoba RCMP have started to see more Criminal Code investigations related to driving while high — but it's still too early to tell what's behind the increase, said RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Paul Manaigre.

Overall, from when cannabis was legalized on Oct. 17, 2018, to Wednesday, there have been 329 pot-related charges laid by Mounties in Manitoba. Of these, 224 were for unlawful transportation of cannabis in a vehicle, while 19 were for consuming it in a vehicle. 

Another 56 were handed out for cannabis-related offences under the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act, and 30 were cannabis-related Criminal Code investigations for impaired driving — with several more still pending toxicology results.