Three people and a trio of companies face charges in connection with the alleged operation of an illicit cannabis manufacture and online distribution network.

They’re the first charges laid against illegal online cannabis operators in Calgary since recreational legalization took effect in October 2018 and are being welcomed by those in the legal industry.

Calgary police say they were called to an apartment suite in the 1200 block of 17th Avenue S.W. in the early morning hours of Aug. 24, 2019, for reports of a break and enter.

Police say they located an illegal cannabis operation inside the apartment, but the renters or owners were not there, nor were they believed to be living at that location.

The first 15 months of cannabis legalization has certainly had its share of ups and downs for the burgeoning new industry. Alberta has taken a far more sensible approach to regulation than some other provinces, but that hasn’t meant that the industry here has been spared from this tumult.

There is some reason for optimism as we embark upon a new year. Some of the issues that had been plaguing the industry — product shortages and a moratorium on new retail licences, for example — have largely been sorted out and edible products, which became legal nearly three months ago, will soon start hitting store shelves.

A person is recovering at home from the province’s first recorded case of severe vaping-associated lung illness, Alberta Health says.

Early in December, a person who had used tobacco vaping products began to experience shortness of breath and coughing, Alberta’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said on Thursday. The person was hospitalized to treat their respiratory problems.

“The bottom line is that vaping is not without risk,” Hinshaw told reporters in Edmonton. “Any time people inhale substances into their lungs, there’s a potential for health impacts — especially when it’s an unknown substance.”

The second crop of legalized cannabis products including edibles like gummies and beverages should finally appear on Edmonton store shelves in mid-January, according to the provincial cannabis regulator.

“It’s legalization all over again — just in a different way,” said Norm Hollingsworth, owner of Mind-Full, The Cannabis Store in Edmonton.

He said he anticipates some customers will line up to try new products and some — especially cannabis-infused beverages — should attract a whole new demographic.

“It’ll bring new people in,” he said.

While the products became legal in Canada Oct. 17, Health Canada did not permit provinces to legally order edibles, extracts and topicals from federally licensed producers until Dec. 16, 2019.

Cannabis is federally legal in Canada – but that doesn’t mean that all Canadian cities are created equal when it comes to weed.

While the country boasts a wide variety of cities that feature exceptional cannabis culture from coast to coast, here are three of our favourite weed-friendly cities in which to get high — and enjoy the view.

The province has indefinitely postponed the legal sales of cannabis vapes, a move that’s ignited anger among producers and retailers.

With the second phase of cannabis legalization involving the sale of edibles and other derivatives to take effect in Alberta, a major component of that, vaping cartridges, has been put on hold by the provincial government, which has cited health concerns.

Just as Health Canada announced it was launching a testing regime of vaping products that are already legally available in some provinces, the Alberta government said it, too, would review their safety.

Heading into 2020, we’re marking the first full year of cannabis legalization in Canada. And since every provincial and territorial government seems to have set up a different iteration of how the regulated weed market should operate, it makes sense that some were more successful than others – to say the least.​

Here are a few of our picks for the winning — but mostly, losing — regulated cannabis markets of 2019.

Alberta has emerged as the exception to the national trend of a struggling legal cannabis market. It has almost as many retail stores licensed as all other provinces combined, with sales that rival those of Ontario or Quebec despite having a fraction of their population.

Alberta is suspending sales of cannabis vaping devices amid lingering concerns about their health effects, a move that would leave nearly half of the country's consumer market unable to purchase the newly-legal pot product. 

Heather Holmen, a spokesperson for the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis, the provincial agency responsible for regulating cannabis, said officials are still considering whether to allow the sale of cannabis vape products in the province, but didn't specify when it would begin to offer the product to consumers. 

Legal cannabis vaping products will not be hitting retail shelves in Alberta until the province has completed its Tobacco, Smoking, Vaping Review.