Cannabis may be consumed by adults of all races, ages, and genders, but in Canada, those employed in the upper echelons of the nascent industry don’t reflect that diversity. According to a report published by the Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation (CDPE) and the University of Toronto, the leadership of the country’s licensed cannabis producers is made up of predominantly white men.

According to the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance, Canada’s hemp acreage and export value are both up more than 20% this year.

“The Canadian hemp industry continues to grow in 2020 despite the challenges posed by COVID-19,” CHTA board chairman Keith Jones said in a statement after the group’s annual meeting, held online this year. “Canada seeded some 92,000 hemp acres in 2019, with exports exceeding $110 million Canadian dollars ($85 million).”

The head of CannTrust Holdings Inc. said the past year has been a "long slog" to begin selling cannabis products in the Canadian recreational market, after federal regulators suspended the company's licences for growing pot in unlicensed rooms.

CannTrust Chief Executive Officer Greg Guyatt said in an interview that the company will re-introduce its brands to several provinces this month, following an 18-month period in which the company was embroiled in a regulatory scandal that ultimately led to it seeking creditor protection earlier this year. 

"It's been a long slog to get to this point, focused on remediation and compliance," Guyatt said. "It's been many long hours and a massive amount of effort from everybody."

From care-filled cooking to sweet relaxation, consider a ‘green’ gift to spruce up the snowy holiday season.

(image: Consider taking gift-giving to a new place this year by injecting some lively green into this usually white and snowy season. / PHOTO BY SASHA_SUZI / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS)

The anticipated lockdown on many in-person get-togethers this holiday season because of the COVID-19 curveball has put a damper on regular festivities. But there’s no better way to brighten grey days than with thoughtful gift-giving that reflects better times and offers a connection to loved ones.

Marijuana investors have experienced a whirlwind ride over the last 24 months. In October 2018, Canada legalized pot for recreational use which resulted in a massive bull run as investors were overly optimistic about this development. However, as with any nascent industry, marijuana producers also faced a number of teething issues. 

The Canadian pot producers have been grappling with competition from a thriving black market and the slow rollout of retail stores in major provinces. This in turn led to lower than expected demand and rising inventory levels.

According to the results of a new research study, the deliberate use of medical cannabis to reduce alcohol consumption was associated with a greater likelihood of reducing and ceasing alcohol use. The results of the study were recently published in the International Journal of Drug Policy.

In June 2019, FTI Consulting published Part 1 of Cannabis: Valuation Approaches in an Evolving Market, which explored legalization of cannabis for recreational use in Canada, risk factors, and the range of complexities to consider for corporate valuations in the emerging Canadian cannabis industry.