Canada’s pot czar says cannabis supply sufficient despite retail issues

Two separate issues are plaguing these two big cannabis markets, but they have one thing in common: The government limiting the numbers of cannabis produced so that they somehow wouldn’t flood the streets with illegal cannabis.

Applicants aren’t transitioning

In the Canadian system, applicants trying to become cannabis producers are getting stuck in the limbo as they fail to transition to the new system.

According to HC, more than half of the cannabis site applications in Canada haven’t yet transitioned to the new licensing system.

As of December 31st, only 409 cannabis site applications in the queue to be cannabis cultivators had transitioned to the Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System.

In the first six weeks of marijuana legalization Prince Edward Island had the highest per capita legal sales in the country, and P.E.I. Cannabis is taking that as a sign it's getting something right.

Statistics Canada added cannabis stores to its retail sales figures in November.

The report released last week shows P.E.I. Cannabis stores sold $2.1 million worth of product in the first six weeks of opening. That's $17.22 for every Islander aged 19 and over. The next highest per capita spending was in Nova Scotia, at $13.80 per capita.

Manitoba sales were not included in the report.

P.E.I. Cannabis director of operations Zach Currie likes what he sees in the report.

If you're a fan of cannabis and a fan of kombucha, you'll be excited to hear that Calgary cannabis company, Zenabis has officially acquired a 51% stake in a True Buch, a Canadian kombucha company. In addition to this exciting news, the company has decided to release their own line of cannabis-infused kombucha drinks for Canadians to enjoy.

Kombucha and cannabis have been everywhere this year. Kombucha is a bubbly fermented beverage made out of tea elixir with Asian root and dates back nearly 2000 years. Filled with living probiotics, enzymes, and amino acids, this concoction is known by many to be the go-to healthy drink.

Leida Englar’s earrings match her sweatpants and her lips are painted red. In the 70s, at the height of Reefer Madness, the police were searching Toronto Island for Keith Richards, and her community had her back.

“Leida, Leida, the cops are searching the island. You OK?” recalls Englar, who grew, and still grows, stalks of marijuana high as the head of the Rolling Stones’ guitarist in her backyard. “Police were busting the bands, but people protected us weed smokers — even the Island cops.”

Where’s the weed!?

That’s been a common Canadian refrain lately. Shortages appeared almost immediately after recreational cannabis sales began last October.

Island health officials are flagging what they say is a concerning trend among teenagers: More and more are inhaling large amounts of weed and tobacco mixed together and smoked using a bong, often referred to as taking hits of "poppers."

Health PEI says its addictions counsellors have started hearing more about poppers, as have staff in some juniors highs and high schools. 

"Two years ago, we probably wouldn't have seen much use of that. But recently, we have seen a significant increase," said Lisa Thibeau, the administrator of Addictions East with Health PEI. 

The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices’s (BfArM)so-called Cannabis Agency will choose between 79 bidders from growers by the end of June, the agency said on Monday.

In order to assure a local supply, the agency will be giving out grower contracts for 10,400 kilograms (22,928 pounds) of pot over the next four years. The agency declined to name the bidders, according to Reuters.

The marijuana industry broke through barriers in 2018 that had previously seemed impossible just a decade earlier.

Following years of promises from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and months of debate in the Senate, Canada became the first industrialized country in the world, and only the second overall behind Uruguay, to legalize recreational marijuana. Rolling out the red carpet for cannabis should lead to billions of dollars in added annual sales, but more importantly legitimizes marijuana as a business model that's here to stay.

A new rule prohibiting some Metrolinx employees from using cannabis while off-duty is drawing criticism from the union representing those workers, which plans to explore possible legal challenges to the policy.

"This Metrolinx action shows a profound lack of respect for the men and women who work for it and who devote their working lives to the safety of the public," read a statement sent out by the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1587.

This week, Metrolinx updated its 'Fit for Duty' policy to ban cannabis use by employees in "safety sensitive positions." The prohibition applies to those workers whether they are on or off-duty, Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster said in an email statement.