The NSLC released its first quarter financial results today for April 1 to June 28, 2020, reporting a 6.8% increase in earnings.

“This was an unprecedented quarter for us,” said Greg Hughes, President & CEO. “We adjusted our business to continue to provide service to Nova Scotians during the pandemic and we’re happy we were able to keep our doors open.”

Sales overall were up 5.3 % to $184.2 million with an increase in both beverage alcohol and cannabis sales. Beverage alcohol sales were up 5 % to $166.8 million and cannabis sales were up 7.8 % to $17.3 million.

Nova Scotia RCMP have charged two Colchester County, N.S., residents with drug and weapons offences following an eight-month investigation.

Police say on July 30 and 31, Colchester RCMP, with assistance from the Truro Police Service and New Glasgow Regional Police, searched nine properties in Bible Hill, Truro, Kemptown, Greenfield and Harmony.

Police arrested 16 people and seized cocaine, methamphetamine, hashish, cannabis, two firearms, ammunition, brass knuckles, a Conductive Energy Weapon (CEW) and cash.

Michael George Borden, 65, of Truro is charged with three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, and one count of prohibited to possess cannabis for the purpose of selling.

If you’re a cannabis consumer on the West Coast, you’ve likely purchased an ‘eighth’ before. If you’re located in Ontario or the East Coast, you might call the same amount of cannabis a ‘half-quarter.’ But if you’re new to pot and you buy it through the government channels, you might call the same amount of cannabis something else entirely: 3.5 grams. 

Canadians are clearly in love with cannabis, but not all provinces were created equal when it comes to permitting pot. While the historic Cannabis Act applies to all provinces, the rules around distribution and consumption fall to the provinces — and municipalities have some say on it, too.

That’s why for Canada Day, The GrowthOp takes a look at the growing industry from coast-to-coast — crunching the data on price, consumption habits, number of stores, public consumption options and the ability to grow at home — to find out which provinces are rolling out the red carpet for weed and which are still warming up to the country’s second favourite leaf.

Here are our findings.

Nova Scotia’s provincial government is trying to make it safer for seniors and those vulnerable to COVID-19 to shop for alcohol and cannabis.

The NSLC — Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation that regulates recreational cannabis and liquor sales in the province — is launching designated shopping times for seniors or people who are immunocompromised.

“Starting tomorrow, we’re adjusting our store hours by one hour,” the company tweeted on Sunday. “All stores will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sat. We’ll open an hour earlier to seniors and those at-risk: 10 a.m.–11 a.m. All stores remain closed Sundays. Please respect our precautions. We are all in this together.”

Approximately 4,000 times these past two weeks, I’ve thanked my lucky stars cannabis was legalized before the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe and sent us all cowering in our bong dens.

For Michelle, driving to the closest provincially regulated cannabis store isn’t worth the gas money. Her closest option is nearly 70 kilometres from her home in Lawrencetown, N.S., a village of 668 people. 

“We started growing just because of where we’re situated,” said Michelle, who asked to keep her last name private. “It’s not convenient to go to the NSLC, and I found the quality just wasn’t there for what you’re paying.” Before that, she bought from a “backyard dealer” who also grew his own. 

The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) is still experiencing a limited supply of cannabis edibles and it could be months before items are regularly found on the shelves.

Stores are carrying chocolates, soft chews and mints, along with vaping products and teas.

NSLC spokesperson Beverley Ware said licensed producers are working hard on getting more products approved and shipped.

"We sell out of the chocolates and the soft chews quite consistently, and that was expected because there's such a limited supply of this product," Ware told NEWS 95.7's The Rick Howe Show. "So we're constantly trying to bring on new licensed producers who will have these products available, so we can then offer them to our customers."