The 20th of April, the annual celebratory day for cannabis consumers, looks much different this year.

Zach Currie, director of cannabis operations with P.E.I. Cannabis,  says they're still encouraging those eager to enjoy the day, but to do it safely and with respect to what has been laid out by P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Office.

"We're basically trying to relay a message that aligns with the general messaging coming from the public health community, which is, you know, maintaining social distancing wherever you can," he said.

"Especially with cannabis, you know, you don't want to be sharing."

Sales in P.E.I. Cannabis have fallen close to 70 per cent since retail outlets were closed in order to help stop the spread of COVID-19. 

Cannabis retail stores on the Island were closed alongside liquor stores on March 19. While some liquor stores on the Island have reopened, the cannabis stores remain closed, although sales can still be made online. 

"Right now we're probably doing approximately 30 to 35 per cent of our normal business that we would do during this time of year," said Zach Currie, director of operations with the P.E.I. Cannabis Management Corporation. 

P.E.I. Cannabis has seen a spike in its online orders, said Currie, and that's where staff have been focusing most of their attention. 

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.

Islanders don’t appear ready to put any distance between them and their supply of pot and booze.

The provincial government is exploring ways to turn the taps back on after announcing it was “disappointed in Islanders’ response,” to the decision to close all liquor and cannabis stores as of 2 p.m. local time on Thursday. Long lines soon formed at stores around the province on word the time to stock up was nearing an end.

Cultivating homegrown pot on Prince Edward Island? Better check your home insurance first.

A P.E.I.-based insurance company informed policyholders last month that it will refuse coverage for any building and its contents where cannabis is being cultivated, unless the company can ensure it is being grown in a safe manner.

P.E.I. Mutual Insurance Company sent mailed letters to policyholders noting that growing cannabis is associated with an increase in risk in commercial and residential buildings alike.

BioFoodTech — the provincially-owned food testing and development lab in Charlottetown — is now testing cannabis. 

Officials say they started a few months ago after implementing procedures and protocols around this new-to-them product.

"We're here to serve the industry in P.E.I," said Edward Charter, food and bioscience technology manager at BioFoodTech. 

"And since cannabis is now a legal product and edibles as well, and we have that background of being able to test food products, we felt it was essential that we provide that service to that industry."

Previously, cannabis products would have been sent off-Island for testing. Now, cannabis oils, extracts and edibles can be tested at Bio Food Tech for microorganisms.

Marking the 10th anniversary of Bell Let’s Talk, Canadians across the globe are sharing stories and struggles of mental health to help spread awareness and end stigma.

Joining the conversation this year is PEI Cannabis.

With every applicable text, call, tweet, retweet, social media video view and Facebook and Snapchat filters — using the #BellLetsTalkDay — Bell will donate five cents towards Canadian mental health services. As of 10 am.. this morning, more than 23 million people had participated in the initiative.

The Master Vapourizer has arrived.

Figr is looking beyond Atlantic Canada, having just launched its new line of vaping products that will be available first at the Ontario Cannabis Store and then select retail locations across the country.

“Our new vape pods and cartridges are designed to deliver the same experience our customers expect with all Figr products,” said Harvey Carroll, president of Figr. “Our customers are at the root of everything we do and our dedication to craftsmanship, scientific rigour and transparency is what drives our continued improvement and innovation. This new product line is no exception,” Carroll said.

As a fourth-generation farmer, Edwin Jewell has always known how to grow things, but even he didn’t see this coming — at least not this quickly.

The president and CEO of Figr East, the cannabis-production plant in Charlottetown’s BioCommons Research Park, unveiled this week an additional 210,000 square feet at the plant, a significant upgrade from the 24,000 square feet he had about two years ago.

To put things in perspective, the Figr East plant is now the size of about six football fields.

When he initially decided to take the plunge in January 2013, he told his wife it was a huge risk and if it didn’t work out they’d literally be living in a tent.