Another New Year comes, and we find ourselves once again making goals, resolutions and promises to ourselves and others. For many people, making healthy food choices is always top of the resolution list, as the over-indulgence of the holidays inevitably ends up expanding the waistline.

Ottawa could see a four-fold increase in cannabis retailers in the new year, according to a review of information on the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) website.

There are currently about a dozen retailers that have been "authorized to open," with just under 30 applications in progress with AGCO. The commission said it could not comment on the outcome or timelines of those licence approvals.

Eric Lewinson, the owner of Canna North, is one of the new entrants in Ottawa's pot market. He said focusing on a "no frills" approach in contrast to the slick feel of many current operators will keep him competitive.

A new survey suggests legal cannabis storefronts are making inroads when it comes to Canada’s consumption of the drug.

The Canadian Cannabis Survey, released on Monday, shows that 41 per cent of Canadian cannabis users are typically choosing legal cannabis storefronts to purchase the product, an increase from just 24 per cent in 2019.

Meanwhile, fewer Canadians are choosing dealers and illegal storefronts, according to the results. However, the survey does note that this decrease may have been in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canadian health regulator on Thursday raised concerns about the large quantity of medical marijuana people were growing at home, after its data showed a significant jump in daily average production permitted by health care practitioners.

While the practitioners can allow registered patients to grow limited amount at home for personal use, the regulator's findings show that such authorizations rose to a staggering 36.2 grams by the end of March, compared with 25.2 grams in October 2018.

Meanwhile, average purchases by registered patients, who can buy pot from licensed producers and federal medical sellers, have stayed as low as 2 to 2.1 grams every month, data showed.

The 2020 Canadian Cannabis Survey provides a snapshot of Canadians' knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to cannabis

OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 21, 2020 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada has taken a public health approach to cannabis legalization and regulation, which includes collecting data on an ongoing basis to better understand how Canadians view and use cannabis. On October 17, 2018, the Cannabis Act came into force, providing a strict national framework for controlling the production, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis in Canada.

Marijuana is now legal in more states than ever before, with medical marijuana proving an essential tool to relieve symptoms caused by chemotherapy and AIDS, or for those in chronic pain. Others just use it to relax, especially during stressful times (like the ones we're going through now). But it's important to note that smoking marijuana doesn't come without risks, particularly if you do it every day. Here is what could possibly happen, so you can be aware of the risks as well as the rewards. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had Coronavirus. 

Making predictions about California’s marijuana industry was a challenge even before a global pandemic changed everything.

It’s not just that the legal cannabis market, which launched three years ago in California, is so new. It’s also the singularity of an industry in which licensed, legal operators still compete against a much larger illicit market, even as the industry’s core consumer product — which is medicine for some people — remains illegal at the federal level.

Arianne Persaud has been using more cannabis this year, after losing a restaurant industry job at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. To cope with the stress of being unemployed, Persaud initially turned to alcohol. But Persaud decided to cut down the drinking and consume more cannabis for relief after noticing a decline in physical and mental health. “With alcohol there’s always this extreme emotion, it’s either you’re celebrating something or drowning in your sorrows,” said the Toronto resident. “I find with cannabis, I’m able to use it in a way that’s mindful, I can be alone and meditative.” Persaud isn’t the only one using cannabis more as the pandemic continues to rage.