Law Canada MJ News

[Baron23]

I came across some articles on MJ in Canada and thought our brothers and sisters from the great white north might like a thread for this type of info

Canadian Health Insurance Is Covering Cannabis
If you’re into marijuana—like, really into marijuana—you should move to Canada. Particularly if you’re into having your federal government license and permit a nationwide medical-cannabis distribution system—and especially if you’d like having your employer-provided health insurance pick up the tab for your own personal stash.

A retired elevator mechanic in Nova Scotia, left with chronic back pain after an on-the-job injury, recently convinced a human-rights board that his union-provided insurance plan must cover his medical-marijuana treatments.

And, as the CBC is reporting, the binding ruling has cannabis advocates across the country convinced that other insurers will follow suit—provided, of course that workers push for it. (cont)

Alcohol Industry Wants to Restrict Pot Advertising
When it comes to advertising in the alcohol industry, Canadian law imposes some pretty tight restrictions. Companies that sling booze for profit are not allowed to suggest in their marketing campaigns that people may be on a mission to get drunk, nor are they permitted to show sports figures or other celebrities grinding away at a bottle of liquor.

It is for this reason that the business of beer, wine and spirits is calling for the Canadian government to impose similar rules on the nation’s cannabis trade, reports the Globe & Mail.

“As an industry, we’ve talked to various officials, provincially and federally, about the rationale for certain rules regarding beverage alcohol and how they’re probably applicable to marijuana, whether around labeling or celebrity endorsements,” said Andrew Oland, president and CEO of Moosehead Breweries Limited.

Oland, who also serves on the board of the industry association Beer Canada went on to say that, “Things that are not permissible in beverage alcohol shouldn’t be permissible in marijuana.”

It is worth mentioning that Beer Canada was one of the consultants responsible for assisting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s marijuana task force in devising a list of recommendations for legal weed. But so far, no one has any idea what kinds of recommendations the trade group brought to the table. Similar organizations, like Spirits Canada, said the primary scope of its suggestions included regulations pertaining to the types of labeling that should be allowed for cannabis manufactures.

“If you’re going to introduce another drug into the marketplace, why would you not subject that to exactly the same kinds of things that have proven to be effective in beverage alcohol?” said Jan Westcott, president and CEO of Spirits Canada. “Certainly, the advertising and marketing rules are there for a reason.”

In addition to fair regulations in respect to advertising, the alcohol industry is also pushing for a number of other rules that they feel would be beneficial for those folks selling pot. One proposal is a program similar to Smart Serve, which trains bar and restaurant staff how to serve alcohol responsibly. Members of the booze sector also want to see retail cannabis products taxed at a rate “no less than” alcoholic beverages.

The goal is to ensure both booze and marijuana have the same advantage when the two inebriants start competing for market share.

However, it may not exactly be a fair fight.

The alcohol industry is calling for marijuana to be banned in all public places—restaurants, bars, sporting events, etc.—all hot spots where the sale of beer and liquor drinks (try reading that without hearing Randy from Trailer Park Boys) has become as much of an institution as the food that is served. (cont)

 

[Baron23]

Kellie Leitch Says Marijuana Is a 'Dangerous Drug,' Vows to Undo Liberal Plan to Legalize It

I don’t think that we should be legalizing this drug; this is a dangerous drug and I don’t want it in the hands of children,” said Conservative leadership hopeful Kellie Leitch.

Marijuana is a “dangerous drug,” Conservative leadership hopeful Kellie Leitch said Tuesday as she promised to undo the Liberal government’s efforts to legalize it, should she become her party’s leader and eventually prime minister.

There are too many public health and safety concerns surrounding marijuana for it to be legal, Leitch told The Canadian Press as the government prepares to table legislation later this week to legalize and regulate its sale.

Political Ottawa has been buzzing for weeks about what will be in the bill, expected Thursday. One key task-force recommendation that the government could act on is imposing an age limit of 18 on those who seek to buy it.

“Look, I will be reviewing it, but I’m a pediatric orthopedic surgeon — I have personal views on this that I feel very strongly about,” Leitch said in a roundtable interview.

“I don’t think that we should be legalizing this drug; this is a dangerous drug and I don’t want it in the hands of children.”

Scientific evidence shows the drug can have damaging effects on the brains of those under the age of 25 and should only be available from pharmacies for patients with prescriptions, Leitch added.

“I have young people come to me as a physician and say ‘You know, I don’t understand, Dr. Leitch — I’m told not to do drugs, but can I do this drug now?” she said. “These are the kinds of messages Canadian parents do not want portrayed to their kids.”

In an August submission to the federally appointed task force on marijuana, the Canadian Medical Association recommended a minimum age of 21, as well as limits on quantities and potency for those aged 21-25 to discourage use and sharing among underage friends.

The driving purpose of the Liberal government’s plan is to address Canada’s “very high rates” of cannabis use among young people — among the highest rates in the world, Health Minister Jane Philpott said Tuesday.

Criminalizing cannabis has not deterred its use by young people, Philpott said in an interview. Other products known to be harmful, including alcohol and tobacco, are available with restrictions for legal consumption, she added.

“As we legalize cannabis and make a decision about what age it can be accessed, we know that regardless of the age of the person consuming, that it is a product that has potential risk associated with it,” Philpott said.

“That’s why we are taking a public health approach with a strong focus on public education.”

One of the current challenges is a shortage of information on products like cannabis, she added, insisting that legalization should in no way be taken as a signal that pot can be used with impunity and without an understanding of the potential risks.

“This is a way of responding to the reality of the fact that rates of use are extremely high in young people and we need to take an approach that acknowledges public health, acknowledges the approach of criminalization has not deterred young people from using it,” Philpott said.

Benedikt Fischer, a University of Toronto psychiatry professor and senior scientist with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, said there are clear risks and harms associated with cannabis, but a strong upside to legalization from a public health perspective.

Trying to restrict its use to people aged 25 and up will only drive young people to the black market, he added.

“What will those people under 25 do if they are not allowed legal access?”

Chuck Rifici, a co-founder of Canada’s first publicly traded marijuana company who now chairs National Access Cannabis — a company that works with patients navigating the medical marijuana system — said Tuesday said he will look at whether the government acts on task force advice, allowing mail-order marijuana sales.

Selling through the mail would help the government achieve its election promise on pot, Rifici said, noting it also ensures Ottawa is not beholden to provincial distribution systems yet to be established.

“If it is hard to access legal product, like any controlled substance, if there’s not a legal option, people will turn to another option,” Rifici said, a former treasurer for the Liberal party’s national board of directors.

“I think it makes more sense to make it easier for Canadians to access safe, tested, federally licensed product.”

The task force, which issued a 106-page report in December, also recommended storefront sales to people 18 and older with personal growing limits of four plants per person and a 30-gram limit on personal possession.


"this is a dangerous drug and I don’t want it in the hands of children.” Yet one more time, a shameless and self-serving politician wraps themselves up in the flag of "Oh, what about the children" to justify advancing their own personal agenda and prejudices and impose them on others. Too bad there is not an infectious and debilitating desease that only effects politicians. I personally think the rest of the world would be better off without them.

 

[Baron23]

Canada announces legislation to legalize marijuana

MONTREAL — The Canadian government on Thursday announced new legislation legalizing marijuana, fulfilling one of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s major campaign promises.

Canada has anticipated the law will take effect in the summer of 2018.

The new federal laws will make the possession of small amounts of pot legal throughout the country and will also establish broad guidelines concerning who can grow, sell and buy the drug.

Many specifics regarding who can possess or sell will be left to the individual provinces.

Canada legalized marijuana for some medicinal uses in 2001.

Canuck columnist: “Trudeau’s plan to legalize pot is an insult to Canadians”

By J.j. McCullough, Special To The Washington Post

A string of broken promises – from tax cuts to electoral reform – has left Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau desperate for a quick win on one of his surviving marquee platform pledges. Thus, late last month, it was announced that his Liberal government would finally get around to legalizing marijuana, with the gimmicky kick-off date at one time even rumored to be set for April 20 – the traditional holy day of pot smokers.

Those who consume marijuana on a regular basis have been persuaded to swallow all manner of nonsense about the drug, from it’s supposedly miraculous medicinal properties (vigorously denied by the Canadian medical establishment) to its ability to unlock vast reserves of creative brilliance in otherwise dormant minds. Yet even by the standards of marijuana mythology, the idea that Trudeau’s pot legalization will be a straightforward process that will effect great demonstrable improvement – or even visible change – to Canadian society is an insulting con. If the prime minister seeks to derive any political benefit from the initiative it will come from the false hope he’s sowing in the present, not the unglamorous future that awaits. (cont)

 

[Killick]

Canadian Federal Government implements Sopranos-style cannabis regulations. People who are currently legal are wondering if they'll ever be able to drive a car again...

PS - for any Canadian veterans who happen to be MJ patients - Hi. I run a group on Facebook just for you :)

 

[Baron23]

Canadians Worried Ottawa Rushing into Pot Legalization: Poll

Even attendees at Canada’s biggest cannabis trade show, Lift, on this weekend at Metro Convention Centre, had mixed feelings about legalization, with some worried government control and corporatization would crush the little guy.

Longtime head shop owner Luke Reynolds sees recreational marijuana in Canada eventually rolling out “like Tim Hortons and Starbucks” on every corner.

“It will be government run and I think they’re going to crush all the little guys like us who started this movement in the first place,” said Reynolds, owner of PipeDreamz in Ajax, while selling his vaporizers and pipes for pot smokers at Lift, Canada’s biggest cannabis convention, Saturday in Toronto.

With legalization of recreational weed in Canada slated for July 2018, there was a lot of uncertainty in the air — among other distinct aromas — at the massive expo of all things herbal that runs through Sunday at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

A new study released at the convention backs up some of the pot paranoia out there, with support clearly sliding for legalization of recreational marijuana since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced the July, 2018 launch date.

The latest Hill+Knowlton Strategies survey shows approval has dropped to 43 per cent from polling done this time last year, which found 60 per cent of Canadians support pot sales.

Recent recommendations put forward by the federal Task Force on Cannabis Legalization, coupled with the announcement that recreational marijuana will be legal sometime on or near July 1, 2018, “is making this whole issue real for people,” said Ivan Ross Vrána, senior director, Hill+Knowlton Strategies.

“People were excited at first. But today the flavour of public opinion has shifted,” he said, noting the public is “more guarded and uneasy” about the issue.

The report found 41 per cent of Canadians feel Ottawa is rushing legalization, while 53 per cent said they feel the federal government is underestimating the overall impact it will have on society.

H+K’s vice-president of public affairs Omar Khan, former chief of staff to Ontario’s health minister Eric Hoskins, also told the convention crowd that Ontarians “will not see co-location of alcohol and cannabis” once it becomes legal, even though the LCBO is very interested in selling it.

“The federal task force strongly recommended against it from a public health perspective. Also the provinces won’t want to further normalize the use of cannabis; selling it next to beverage alcohol can lead to normalization,” he said in an interview.

“You don’t see cigarettes sold with alcohol either,” he said. Alcohol and tobacco are both government-regulated products.

The poll says among those who support a completely government-run sales network, 46 per cent prefer to see dedicated marijuana-only stores (which Reynolds of PipeDreamz predicts), while 41 per cent would like to see it operate out of a separate entrance and area in provincially-run booze stores and 18 per cent would like to see it sold alongside alcohol.

Meanwhile among those who support a mixed public-private system, 52 per cent favour dedicated marijuana dispensaries and 43 per cent would like to see it in pharmacies like Shoppers Drug Mart.

Reynolds said he found the Lift expo had a decidedly more corporate feel to it this year, with the emphasis on the business and supply side as legalization nears.

“Too many suits, not as much fun,” he said.

He echoed the sentiments of many in attendance who were bummed to find the convention’s “vape lounge”, which hosted a steady flow of people using vapourizers, were not given free product samples as was the case last year.

“We were handing out samples earlier today then we got in trouble,” said a young woman dressed as a stewardess at a booth flogging Flyte-branded pens and carts that vapourize oil, along with Flyte snack gummy bears.

The convention has nearly double the booths and exhibits this year, with attendance expected to reach 15,000, up from 10,000 last year.

 

[Baron23]

Vancouver's Tantalus Gets Health Canada Medical Marijuana License

Vancouver-headquartered Tantalus Labs has become B.C.’s 10th Health Canada-licensed medical marijuana producer, aiming to start sales sometime in the summer of 2018 under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes regulations.

In an interview Monday, CEO Dan Sutton said Tantalus received word Friday that it was approved, which allows it to start acquiring materials and planting seed crops, including clone plants, at its high-tech greenhouse facility in Maple Ridge, which has the capacity to grow up to 10,000 kilograms of cannabis per year.

Sutton said they expect to have their first planting in place within the next four weeks, which will start to flower by late summer, allowing the company to start developing a consistent production process between now and when sales start sometime in mid-2018.

 

[Baron23]

Just a Canada kind of day, today.

The reasons behind Quebec's surprising pessimism toward legalizing pot
One would think the province known for its joie de vivre and laissez-faire attitudes would have the most lenient stance toward the legalization of pot. But a recent survey shows the opposite is true.

Quebecers are far less optimistic about the legalization of marijuana than their counterparts in the rest of Canada, a CROP poll conducted on behalf of CBC's French-language network, Radio-Canada, shows.

For nearly every promised benefit of legalization, from the reduction of the black market to less stress on the justice system, people in Quebec were more skeptical than their counterparts elsewhere in the country.

The results even surprised CROP president Alain Giguère, a veteran pollster.

"My hypothesis was the opposite. I thought Quebec would be more tolerant," Giguère said.

Only 40 per cent of Quebecers said they were in strongly or somewhat in favour of legalization, compared to 58 per cent of other Canadians.

The survey interviewed 2,536 adult Canadians, 1,017 in Quebec and the rest in other provinces.

More Quebecers also said that the Liberal plan to legalize cannabis worsened their perception of Justin Trudeau's government.

To understand this negative perception, CROP also asked the same people about their attitudes towards their health. It found that those who were most against legalization are also highly concerned with their well-being.

"They eat healthy, exercise regularly and have a holistic lifestyle that takes care of body and mind," he said.

But those in favour of legalization don't tend to be too stressed about their health. They think they're fine, he said.

So Giguère went back to a social values survey CROP does every year. And it showed that Quebecers tend to be more mindful of health than people in the rest of Canada.

We assume Quebec is focused on pleasure and joie de vivre — that they would be tolerant about cannabis," he said.

"Well, it's the opposite. Quebecers think that if they want to have fun, they have to be healthy."

Another reason for the split is that English Canadians are more tuned in to news from the U.S., where marijuana has been legal for several years in some states.

"Francophones in Quebec are less exposed to this news. So there's a trivialization of the issue in English Canada," said Giguère.

Fears of negative effects
For Quebecers and non-Quebecers alike, the biggest fear about legalization is the possible increase in road accidents.

But Quebecers are more worried about the banalization of pot's danger to society, effects on mental health and addiction than the people in the anglosphere.

When it came to the potential positive effects of legalization, Quebecers simply didn't see any: Asked about quality control, more government revenue, less stress on the justice system, reduction in organized crime — Quebecers took a dim view to all of them
More non-Quebecers said they had smoked marijuana (for either medical or recreational purposes) in the last year, compared to Quebecers. Fewer Quebecers also reported being informed of the federal bill to legalize it.

To Giguère, it comes down to the same root cause: concern for health makes one less likely to try it.

But the province's recent string of corruption scandals involving high-ranking politicians also fuels the cynicism, especially when it comes to the effects on organized crime, he said.

"They probably think, 'Oh, nothing's going to change. Our society will always be corrupt.'"

 

[Baron23]

Canada ponders an unusual drug problem: a shortage of marijuana
The biggest challenge for Justin Trudeau’s forthcoming legal recreational marijuana market is a shortage of pot, the finance minister of Canada’s most-populous province says.

Ontario’s Charles Sousa said a supply crunch was discussed during a meeting with provincial and federal counterparts this week. Canada is aiming to legalize recreational pot in the next 12 months, the first major economy to do so. One analyst said he’s concerned the government could use a supply shortage as an excuse to delay rolling out the program.

“Ultimately the biggest problem that appears after today’s discussion is one of supply,” Sousa said in an interview this week. Finance ministers were told demand is “quite high” for marijuana already in Canada, he said. “So we want to make certain that, when we do proceed, there is sufficient supply to accommodate the activity because what we’re trying to do is curb the illicit use and organized crime that now exists around it.”

Trudeau’s framework for legalization, unveiled in April, will rely on Canada’s provinces to set up sale and distribution regimes, while at minimum selling recreational pot by mail beginning some time before July 2018. Key details including taxation remain up in the air. Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau has said he favors a tax rate that will starve out the black market, one of the government’s key objectives. “That as a conclusion would lead us to say taxation rates have to be low,” Morneau told reporters after the June 19 meeting, where he said they discussed the need for a “coordinated” approach.

Initial Shortage
Canada’s burgeoning marijuana industry has ballooned in value amid optimism over Trudeau’s plan for recreational sales, which Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. said in November could reach C$6 billion ($4.5 billion) annually by 2021. Combined demand for recreational and medical marijuana may reach 575,000 kilograms by 2021, according to the report.

The government says a key aim is to shrink or altogether kill the black market, and any shortage of legal weed would hinder that effort. Trudeau’s plans also allow people to grow up to four plants in a home.

Companies are still in the midst of trying to build and expand their facilities and everything would have to go “perfectly” in order to have enough supply, PI Financial analyst Jason Zandberg said. Initial sales will probably be online and by mail as it wouldn’t be possible for the market to stock enough inventory in government dispensaries across the country.

Expanding patient lists are creating a shortage in Canada’s medical marijuana market as some producers stop taking new clients or sell out of certain strains, Zandberg said.

Erik Hertzberg/Bloomberg
“There will be a shortage initially,” the analyst said by telephone. “My concerns are that if that is used as an excuse to push the date of recreational legalization back, there’s a danger that it slips into the next election cycle and doesn’t actually happen.”

Canada had 167,754 registered medicinal marijuana users as of March 31, triple the amount from a year earlier. Supply shortages are already a problem for Canada’s existing legalized medicinal market, said Greg Engel, chief executive officer of Organigram Holdings Inc., a Moncton-based producer.

Companies “are building out additional capacity very actively and aggressively” for both the medicinal and recreational markets, Engel said. Organigram’s capacity is 6,000 kilograms annually and will reach 26,000 kilograms annually by the end of 2018, he said, though companies still don’t know exactly what they can sell. “We do need clarity very soon from the federal government.”

Production Cycle
Health Canada pledged last month to speed up its approval process for applicants seeking a license to grow marijuana. The agency has been more responsive but it still takes up to a year for a new producer to ramp up production and get product to market, said Cam Mingay, a senior partner at Cassels Brock who follows the industry.

“I don’t know what anyone can do about it -- you can’t force the plants to grow faster,” he said when asked about a shortage. Approving more companies wouldn’t be a silver bullet. “You could approve 50 more tomorrow, and realistically they could probably be in production by the end of 2018 in any meaningful capacity.”

While the government has issued a number of new licenses, it may still take 12 months or more for new companies to start ramping up production, said Beacon Securities analyst Vahan Ajamian. The available supply hasn’t kept pace with the growth in medical marijuana patients and it’s unclear what type of products will be available on the legal market next year and the level of taxation, he said.

Rushed Timeline
“On July 1, are millions of people going to go online and start buying legally or will there be a slow transition over the next five years from the black market to the legal regulated market?” Ajamian said.

Manitoba Finance Minister Cameron Friesen has expressed concern about the timeline, saying it is too rushed to implement a legal market for recreational marijuana by July 2018. Sousa said his government has no problem with the implementation date -- which sets up the pot regime to kick in sometime around an election next year in the province. Ontario is eyeing a number of options for setting up retail sales, Sousa said, though he acknowledged other provinces are at different stages.

“What we want is to basically be sure that all of Canada is able to implement and distribute at the same time,” he said. “I think some provinces are still trying to come to grips with how to get it done.”

Kind of a startling problem....I mean, it really is a weed and grows like a weed. And although a lot goes into growing first class MJ, it ain't like growing orchids....know what I mean? Just a bit surprised by this article.

 

[momofthegoons]

A Guide to Canada’s Medical Marijuana Program

Adult use legalization is scheduled for July 2018, but in the meantime, the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations is still in full effect for registered medical patients.


Canada’s medical marijuana program has undergone multiple reincarnations since 2000, when medical marijuana was first legalized. The Medical Marihuana Access Regulations (MMAR) was passed in 2001, and created three avenues through which patients could procure cannabis:

• Applying for a Personal Production License to cultivate their own medical cannabis at home
• Purchasing cannabis from Health Canada
• Designating a third party caregiver to grow cannabis for them

The Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) took over in 2013, creating a system of licensed producers to cultivate cannabis and outlawing Personal Production Licenses.

The latest version is known as the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations. In order to qualify as a medical marijuana patient in Canada, aa healthcare practitioner must have authorized the use of cannabis for relief of one or more of the following symptoms that have not responded to traditional treatment methods:

• Severe refractory nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy
• Loss of appetite and body weight in cancer patients and patients with HIV/AIDS
• Pain and muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis
• Chronic non-cancer pain (neuropathic)
• Severe refractory cancer-associated pain
• Insomnia and depressed mood associated with chronic diseases
• Symptoms encountered in palliative or end-of-life care
• Other symptoms or conditions authorized by your health care practitioner

The medical document authorizing the use of medical cannabis by a healthcare practitioner can be found here.

Health Canada suggests that most individuals use three grams or less of cannabis per day, suggests waiting a minimum of 30 minutes between inhalations to gauge effects for possible overdosing, and a minimum of two hours between doses of infused edible products to gauge the strength of the dosage.

To qualify for medical marijuana under the ACMPR, a patient must meet the following criteria:

• Ordinarily live in Canada
• Be 18 years of age or older
• Attest that they have not been convicted of a marijuana-related offense
• Not be registered more than once at any time

A patient may procure medical cannabis:

• By producing cannabis themselves as a registered person
• By obtaining cannabis produced by a registered caregiver
• By purchasing cannabis from a licensed producer
• From a health care practitioner in the course of treatment for a medical condition
• From a hospital or hospital employee in the course of treatment for a medical condition

However, it is prohibited to seek or obtain cannabis from more than one source at a time with the same medical document.

In order to apply to cultivate your own limited amounts of cannabis at home, complete the registration form here.

Use this production calculator to calculate how many plants you are authorized to grow based on your health practitioner’s recommendation. To start producing cannabis at home, contact a licensed producer to procure seeds and/or clones for your first crop. This is the only legal avenue to procure seeds and/or cannabis seedlings.

Once registered, a patient may contact a licensed authorized laboratory in order to test their cannabis for the following:

• To determine THC/CBD content
• Microbial testing
• Heavy metals or other contaminants
• Other chemical analyses

It’s also important to note here that while dispensaries are common in Canada, particularly in Vancouver, BC, and in Toronto, Ontario, these shops are currently existing in a legal gray area and are subject to raid and closure.

A registered patient may possess approximately 30 times the daily quantity of cannabis prescribed by the healthcare practitioner, or a 30-day supply of no more than 150 grams of dried cannabis.

You can find the complete list of Canadian licensed producers by region available here. There are 50 total licensed producers across Canada. In order to purchase, you must be registered with a licensed producer through the company’s website and by submitting your medical document signed by a licensed healthcare practitioner.

Canada’s Legalization Task Force has recommended that the medical marijuana system remain in place throughout the transition. The Task Force also recommended that the Canadian government monitor and evaluate patient access to cannabis for medical purposes during the implementation process and re-evaluate the medical marijuana framework within five years.

 

[momofthegoons]

Health Canada urged to clear way for medical pot insurance
'High costs currently push many patients to seek alternative options through illegal avenues'
By Andrea Huncar, CBC News Posted: Apr 04, 2017 7:00 AM MT Last Updated: Apr 04, 2017 7:00 AM MT

Conventional pills did little to ease Jill Grindle's PTSD and sleep disorder, but within months of turning to medical marijuana the Calgary mother says she was sleeping through the night.

Now she has another worry.

"It's costing a pretty penny," she said. "So what I do is I under-medicate greatly. I scrimp and I save and I only use it very sparingly."

Like most Canadians, Grindle's standard insurance plan doesn't cover legally prescribed cannabis. For Grindle that adds up to $1,200 a month if she were to use her full four-gram daily allowance, so she gets by on one gram a day.

As the federal government prepares to legalize recreational marijuana by July 2018, Grindle is among the advocates calling on Health Canada to clear the way for coverage of legally-prescribed pot.

With the exception of limited coverage for veterans and patients with health care spending accounts, the standard insurance of most Canadians doesn't reimburse the cost of medical cannabis.

Kait Shane, director of community outreach with Calgary-based Natural Health Services, describes it as the "missing link," noting Canadians can claim cannabis on their their tax returns and travel with it on federal flights.

"Every patient comes in and is kind of wondering the same thing. Can we be covered; will we be covered?" said Shane, whose Calgary-based company prescribes cannabis at several western locations including Edmonton.

She said the problem is that medical marijuana doesn't have a drug identification number (DIN); a classification that requires going through a rigorous, expensive approval process required of all new drugs.

Kait Shane with Natural Health Services says out-of-reach cannabis prices push some patients to illegal sources.

"It's a matter of lobbying ... to get Health Canada to recognize it's not feasible for them to go through the same trials as other drugs," said Shane, who points out that unlike other narcotics, cannabis has been used for a long time.

Shane worries not insuring medical cannabis will alienate those who can't afford to get it through licensed producers.

"High costs currently push many patients to seek alternative options through illegal avenues with zero testing protocols," she said. "The lack of testing could put a patient's health at risk."

Joan Weir, director of health police at the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, said the process is moving slowly, despite some employers adding coverage.

"There's not a lot of good research on the impact of adding medical marijuana to your drug program," said Weir. "So there needs to be a fair bit more research to make employers comfortable on including it as a benefit."

Health Canada wasn't immediately available for comment.

 

[momofthegoons]

There are a few related videos in the original article that could not be embedded and may be of interest.

One-metre plant height restriction dropped from marijuana legalization bill
By Patrick CainNational Online Journalist, News Global News


A clause in the Liberals’ marijuana legalization bill that would have seen Canadians face prosecution if their marijuana plants grew taller than one metre was dropped by the Commons health committee Tuesday.

The provision had been criticized as arbitrary, and a potential headache for both growers and police.

A leaked report from Ontario’s police and corrections ministry, for example, pointed out that “people could be criminalized for small amounts of overproduction” under the rule.

READ MORE: Feds’ proposed marijuana home grow rules are ‘silly,’ Colorado expert says

NDP MP Don Davies called the one-metre rule “very difficult to enforce … Cultivators might break the law simply by providing fertilizer and water and going away for a week’s vacation.”

It would have been worth paying attention — as the law was originally written, people who let their plants get too tall faced up to 14 years in prison, at least on paper.

A limit of four plants per household will remain.

“I don’t think we want the police officers of this nation to be walking around with metre sticks attached to their holsters, going into Canadians’ houses and measuring plants to see if they’re 99 or 101 centimetres,” Davies said.

In testimony over the past few weeks, MPs on the committee had heard that restricting plant height has a limited relationship to restricting the production of usable buds. Growers can favour dense, short plants, or train them to grow sideways.

Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu predicted that home grows would become part of a black market production system after legalization.

“Organized crime does get into home grow,” she said. “That’s what happened in Colorado. This is problematical for all the Canadians that don’t want these unintended consequences.”

“You can have up to 600 grams of marijuana hanging around in the house with no provision for lockup. That’s definitely not going to keep it out of the hands of children.”

The Conservatives oppose recreational marijuana legalization.

The amendment was passed on a party-line vote, with the NDP and Liberals in favour and the Conservatives opposed.

As originally written, Canada’s home-grow rules would have been the strictest among North American jurisdictions that allow them. (Washington state allows recreational marijuana but not home grows.)

The version that made it through committee will be essentially the same as Oregon’s. (Colorado allows up to six plants per adult, no more than three mature, and no more than 12 plants overall per household.)

However, Oregon’s four-plant limit has encouraged growers there to cultivate the most immense marijuana plants possible.

Outdoor grows on this scale wouldn’t necessarily be allowed in Canada: under Alberta’s rules, announced Wednesday, home grows would have to be indoors or in greenhouses.

Also, Canadians will be limited to 30 grams of dried cannabis per adult, which will limit the amount of bud that could legally be produced or at least dried for consumption, at home.

 

[Killick]

Because once they hit 103 cm they grow teeth and eat children. S'truth!

 

[momofthegoons]

Got pot? Travellers to Canada will be asked if they're carrying cannabis
Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press
Published Friday, November 10, 2017

OTTAWA -- Travellers to Canada will be routinely asked whether they are bringing marijuana into the country as Ottawa moves to legalize recreational pot use.

Signs will also be posted at major ports of entry to remind people that the unauthorized importation of pot remains illegal, said Peter Hill, associate vice-president of the Canada Border Services Agency.

In addition, the border agency plans a communications campaign through social media to ensure travellers "are aware of the new legislation and the requirements," Hill told MPs on the House of Commons public safety committee.

The Liberals plan to allow adults to legally possess and use small amounts of cannabis by next July, saying it will help keep marijuana out of the hands of young people while denying profits to criminal organizations.

The government is devoting more than $110 million over five years to Public Safety, the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency to ensure organized crime does not infiltrate the legalized system and to keep pot from crossing borders.

The question to travellers about marijuana will be similar to those that officers already ask about other controlled or prohibited goods, such as firearms, food and animal products, said Jayden Robertson, a border agency spokesman.

"The intent of the cannabis-related question is to encourage traveller compliance regarding importations of cannabis and provide travellers with the opportunity to declare whether or not they are in possession of cannabis," Robertson said in an emailed response to questions.

The border agency hopes the question will reduce the risk of "unintentional violations" of the law, he added.

Under the proposed Cannabis Act, it will remain illegal to import into Canada, or export from Canada, cannabis and related products without a valid permit issued by the federal government.

The unauthorized international cross-border movement of cannabis will still be a serious criminal offence that can result in up to 14 years in prison, the government says.

Plans for signs at the border are "under development," Robertson said.

Although a number of U.S. states have legalized recreational marijuana, pot remains illegal under federal law, which applies at the border. As a result, Canadians have been turned away by U.S. border officials -- sometimes for simply admitting they've used it.

Every country has the right to establish the standards that determine who is allowed to enter, said Malcolm Brown, deputy minister of Public Safety Canada.

"So, it wouldn't be, frankly, appropriate for us to counsel the U.S. about changing their approach," he told the Commons committee meeting this week.

But he quickly added that such issues are discussed regularly at the "highest levels" with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, "so they understand the approach and we will continue to encourage them, as they do with us, to be as welcoming and supportive of Canadians crossing the border into the U.S. as we try to be generally with Americans coming into Canada."

 

[momofthegoons]

Federal government launches "Don't Drive High" campaign
The program is part of the Liberals' mandate to educate Canadians about the risks associated with cannabis ahead of legalization
By David Brown November 27, 2017

The federal government launched their Don’t Drive High campaign today to draw attention to concerns around drug (specifically cannabis) impaired driving as Canada prepares to legalize next year.

#DontDriveHigh includes information on drug impaired driving in Canada, stories from Canadians impacted by drug impaired driving, suggestions for how to avoid driving impaired, information for parents on discussing the issue with kids, and information on getting help with drug abuse.

The website notes that Canadian men are 2.5 times more likely than women to have driven a vehicle while under the influence of cannabis, and that a drug-impaired driving incident occurs every 3 hours in Canada each day.

The website also notes that more than one in four cannabis users have reported having driven under the influence, and that marijuana doubles your chances of being in a crash (this is based on a research study from 2012).

These figures are, however, challenged by other studies which show different data. Conflicting data makes makes addressing concerns with impaired driving and cannabis in a post-legalized world challenging.

Concerns with drug impaired driving have been a major part of the debate around legalization in the House of Commons, with many opposition members noting that many police forces in Canada say they are unprepared to deal with legal cannabis and that no reliable impairment detection devices exist for cannabis or cannabinoids.

"Driving stoned is more dangerous than driving sober, but the difference is more like the additional risk of driving while sleepy or angry than it is like the additional risk of driving drunk. It’s nowhere near as dangerous as driving while using a cellphone, even hands-free. Stoned driving should be a traffic offense, not a crime like drunk driving. Traffic risks aren’t a substantial objection to legalization, though of course smart policy would discourage driving stoned, and especially driving with both cannabis and alcohol on board." - Mark Kleiman, the architect of cannabis legalization in Washington State

The government announced a pilot project late last year to test out different impairment testing devices. The program used “oral fluid screening devices” to test saliva for the presence of certain drugs, including cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, and opioids. Public Safety Canada said the results would help inform how police services counter drug-impaired driving in Canada.

The results were released last June, noting that, with proper training, the devices are reliable and a "useful tool" for Canadian law enforcement.

Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness has in the past said they are preparing for an expected a increase in enforcement against marijuana-impaired drivers after legalization.

An Ipso-Nanos poll from earlier this year said that a majority of Canadians want cannabis impaired driving treated the same as alcohol. And also showed that not all Canadians feel 'stoned driving' is as big of a concern as drunk driving.

However, the poll shows no consensus on the subject. Nearly 20% of respondents said they don't believe driving 'high' on cannabis to be impaired driving. Only 12% of respondents said the same about alcohol. The report also shows that one in three Millennials don't consider driving while high on marijuana to be impaired driving.

A licensed medical cannabis producer in Canada made waves recently by launching a campaign with a marketing agency featuring strain names like Kourtroom Kush and Slammer Time, intended to draw awareness to impaired driving in a post legal world.

Many US States prohibit driving with blood THC concentrations of 2-5 ng/mL, which are levels also used in Canada’s proposed Cannabis Act. A recent AAA report on cannabis and driving pointed out that laws based on THC levels are arbitrary and therefore not useful.

 

[Baron23]

stories from Canadians impacted by drug impaired driving

While we all have driven from time to time with some low level degree of MJ high, I just can't abide those who advocate for no limits at all and insist that they drive better whacked out of their gourd. It seems very selfish to me and it seems that they never think of the other people who may be harmed by their actions.

This certainly is a contentious issue, its not clear and clean, but its not going away and we will not have legalization without these types of restrictions.

 

[Killick]

Meanwhile, in Canadia... https://www.thebeaverton.com/2017/1...-c-45-legalizes-cannibalism-instead-cannabis/

@Baron23 On the other side of that coin many of us haven't been 'high' for several years, my driving is fine, and I have absolutely no doubt that at any random point in time my whatever the heck they measure will be substantially higher than the guidelines permit.

 

[momofthegoons]

Flying with cannabis: What you need to know

Whether a patient yourself, or a family member has their prescription, the issue of travelling with prescribed cannabis is new to everyone at some point.

One of the first things in the process to understanding the laws is to know that these laws only apply domestically within Canada. A patient cannot travel outside of Canada with their medication regardless of what their destination is. Yes, cannabis is legal in many jurisdictions south of our border. No, you may not travel to these locations legally while carrying cannabis. This includes, for instance, a direct flight from Calgary to Denver.

So, what does that mean for you the patient taking a domestic flight with prescribed cannabis? Let’s break it down with the recently changed Transport Canada policies.

• You do not need to advise anyone prior to your arrival or during security checks -CATSA/CBSA are no longer required to contact police upon notification or discovery of your medication.
• Carry limits are the same as ACMPR regulations, 30 days supply or 150 grams, whichever is lesser. (I.e. – 90 grams for a 3 gram per day patient) – extracts such as capsules, oils and others are also subject to the carry limits, and should also be stored in original labeled containers.
• These regulations apply for service flights offered by CAF as they operate under Transport Canada guidelines. (http://www.catsa.gc.ca/medication-and-medical-items)

Now that we, the patients, are all caught up on the recent changes, things are well and good right? Not necessarily.

As with any policy and large organization it takes time to promulgate new information through the ranks. It isn’t the norm, but encounters with airport staff who aren’t aware of changes or even that we are legally allowed to carry our prescription onto a domestic flight can still occur.

What we do when we encounter unknowing airport staff is up to each of us. However, acting like a militant protester, or making a scene probably won’t get you anywhere fast except secondary search bays.

To put it in perspective; if it was our checkpoint or cordon and we weren’t sure on course of action, we would call it in and ask for direction from higher if time permitted. They’re simply people trying to do a job as we are simply people trying to get home to loved ones without undue hassles.

We at Spartan Wellness have flown across this beautiful country with our prescription, before and after these rules, with many veterans and no one has ever been arrested or had anything confiscated as far as we have heard. Relax, provide your documentation, and wait for someone in the know to make the right decision.

As patients who have flown with our medical cannabis, Spartan Wellness strongly suggests always carrying your prescription in your carry-on bag, not your checked luggage. Checked baggage can be inspected by the canine inspection teams, and you can be pulled out of line to explain yourself thereby causing an unnecessary delay.

Education is key in these situations. Know the rules, your rights, and take the time to explain the topics covered here to airport staff and you may just save the next troop a hassle.

 

[momofthegoons]

Canadian Health Insurance Company to Cover Medical Cannabis
That’s right, you can get up to $6,000 of cannabis paid for.

A major Canadian health insurance company will soon cover medical cannabis. Sun Life Assurance Co. is set to add medical cannabis to its group benefits plan on March 1. It will be the first major Canadian insurance company to take this step.

“Sun Life’s approach reflects current evidence-based clinical knowledge regarding the medical use of cannabis,” Sun Life said in a release on Thursday.

"As this has become something our clients—being the individual companies known as plan sponsors—have been asking us about more and more, we have moved from the stage of evaluate and review, to now offering it as a benefit for medicinal purposes,” Dave Jones, senior vice-president of group benefits at Sun Life, told the Globe and Mail.

The yearly maximums for those who will be covered through Sun Life for medical cannabis range from $1,500 to $6,000 per person per year. Medical cannabis will be an optional coverage through Sun Life, which insures more than 22,000 companies in Canada. Sun Life currently lists the following conditions and symptoms as being eligible for coverage: cancer, multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS, and for patients in palliative care. There will be a prior approval process for those seeking coverage.

Justin Loizos, owner-operator of the compassion club Just Compassion in Toronto, has officially been a medical cannabis patient since 2012. Loizos uses cannabis as a medicine because he has MS and post-traumatic stress disorder. He estimates he would spend about $80,000 per year for his medical cannabis if he didn’t have access to wholesale pricing through the compassion club he owns.

“I own and operate a dispensary—the only reason I can afford my medicine is because of this,” Loizos said.

Loizos said going through the current legal system rather than the grey area his dispensary operates in isn’t an option to for him right now because what’s offered would fall short of his needs and wouldn’t keep him out of the hospital.

Loizos said the average grams used for medical cannabis patients would be significantly lower than his needs, however, as he describes himself as an “oddity.” He estimated it would be three to five grams per day for an average medical cannabis patient, whereas he uses around 40 grams per day (though it can vary depending on his medical needs).

Loizos said Sun Life’s coverage would likely cover only about a gram per day.

However, Craig Jones, the executive director of NORML Canada, said that he’s hopeful the cost of cannabis will go down after Canada’s cannabis legalization and regulation are put into action this year. NORML Canada is a non-profit that “aims to eliminate all civil and criminal penalties” for private cannabis use.

“It’s likely that the cost of cannabis will decline and—once people figure out which strains work best for which conditions—they’ll have no problem accessing through government vendors or from friends,” Jones told VICE via email.

Jones said it’s essential that more good-quality research is conducted on cannabis. He said that doctors are slow to pick up on new therapies such as cannabis—in part due to its stigmatization, but also because there needs to be more quality research and the results of such in the public domain.

“NORML Canada has long held that the full potential of cannabis is yet to be discovered—and with legalization and the end of bureaucratic obstacles, we may be on the verge of a whole new research era,” Jones said.

“I expect that insurers will expand availability as we learn more about what cannabis therapies work for which groups and conditions,” Jones told VICE. “We are at early days. Expect the unexpected.”


Sun Life’s coverage will categorize medical cannabis under “medical services and equipment” rather than under a drug benefit since it does not have a drug identification number (DIN). Medical cannabis does not have a DIN since it has yet to be approved by Health Canada under the Food and Drugs Act.

For Loizos, medical cannabis has greatly improved his life. Proper dosage level has meant that he has greatly reduced his number of hospital visits for MS-related issues, including being able to avoid potentially dangerous therapies such as those including large amounts of IV steroids.

A next step forward, Loizos said, is for provinces’ disability support programs (such as Ontario’s ODSP) to cover costs—not just a gram per day, but whatever amount a doctor prescribes—of medicinal cannabis.

“Sun Life taking this first step is gigantic,” Loizos said. “Even if it’s a gram a day or whatever, it’s not a joke, it’s showing that a major staple in our medical community has accepted cannabis as medicine and is allowing coverage. That’s very positive."

 

[momofthegoons]

Big Tobacco invests in Canadian marijuana, leaving B.C.'s craft-cannabis producers uneasy

A midsize U.S. company has bought majority stakes in two Canadian businesses to prepare for the medicinal-marijuana trade, marking the entry of the tobacco industry into legal pot here

by Travis Lupick on February 28th, 2018

Earlier this month, an unremarkable sentence appeared in a quarterly report published by Alliance One International, a tobacco company headquartered in North Carolina.

“In January, we successfully acquired majority stakes in two new joint ventures,” it reads.

Further into the document, it is announced that an Alliance One subsidiary called Canadian Cultivated Products had secured a 75-percent equity position in Canada’s Island Garden Inc. and an 80-percent stake in Goldleaf Pharm Inc.

The former is located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and the latter just south of Hamilton, Ontario.

Island Garden and Goldleaf Pharm are medicinal-cannabis companies.

“The combined Canadian cannabis acquisitions are anticipated, subject to regulatory approvals, to have approximately 1 million square feet of production space within a three year period and with the opportunity to become a truly international cannabis company, expanding into international markets as anticipated legalization of medicinal and recreational cannabis use progresses around the world,” reads Alliance One’s quarterly report.

Alliance One’s revenue for the three months covered in the report was $477.8 million. The tobacco industry has officially taken an interest in Canada’s legal-cannabis market.

Shane MacGuill is head of tobacco research at Euromonitor International, a data-and-analysis firm with staff in more than 100 countries. He told the Straight that the move could signal the beginning of a trend but not one that will happen overnight.

“From the Alliance One point of view, they’re seeing declining demand for the tobacco leaf and another adjacent industry…where the opposite trajectory is happening,” MacGuill said on the phone from London, England. “But it is much less straightforward a question for the brand owners.”

He explained that Alliance One is a leaf merchant, a midsize company holding a specific position in the tobacco industry’s supply chain. It’s not Philip Morris International (2016 revenue: $75 billion), for example, whose considerations would be much more complex.

International corporations place a premium on certainty and make decisions on factors larger than one country with just 36 million people, MacGuill continued. “If this was a very predictable process of legalization that was going to happen worldwide, I think they would be involved in the Canadian market,” he said. “But there’s uncertainty about what’s going to happen. They could get stuck having moved into the cannabis market in Canada and then legalization elsewhere in the world doesn’t happen as fast as they had expected.

“And they’re waiting for cannabis to become a little bit more respectable, perhaps for there to be a little more scientific consensus around the harms of cannabis, and so on,” MacGuill added.

Once that happens—a situation that’s beginning to look inevitable—corporate calculations will change.

“It’s not to say that, eventually, the big tobacco companies won’t end up being involved in cannabis,” MacGuill said. “But the idea that they’ll come in and launch Marlboro Marijuana and blow everyone out of the water, I think, is farfetched.”

So what are their plans?

Alliance One did not respond to an interview request. The largest tobacco companies in Canada are Rothmans, Benson & Hedges (a subsidiary of Philip Morris International); JTI-Macdonald Corp. (a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco International); and Imperial Tobacco Canada (a subsidiary of British American Tobacco). Rothmans, Benson & Hedges and JTI-Macdonald did not respond to interview requests. A spokesperson for Imperial Tobacco declined the Straight’s request but said the company has “no plans to enter the marijuana market in Canada”.

Sarah Campbell, director of the Craft Cannabis Association of B.C. (CCABC), told the Straight that local producers have long anticipated the arrival of the tobacco industry.

“Their involvement was inevitable,” she said in a telephone interview. “It’s a hedge to protect their shareholders. Cannabis has huge potential to displace alcohol and tobacco use amongst consumers.”

Campbell said there might be a market for corporate cannabis, like there is a market for Budweiser and Labatt Blue in the beer industry. But she’s not worried.

“Craft-cannabis producers and processors are small, independent, artisanal, and sustainable,” Campbell explained. “And with the inclusion of microlicences in the Cannabis Act, we are perfectly poised to do very well in this niche market.”

The Craft Cannabis Association of B.C. advocates for small-scale producers, working to ensure family businesses will exist in Canada's developing marijuana industry alongside larger corporations.
CRAFT CANNABIS ASSOCIATION OF B.C.
Jamie Shaw, director of the B.C. Independent Cannabis Association (BCICA) and director of government relations for MMJ Canada, expressed a similar sentiment but said stigma was a concern.

“We’re already in a situation where people equate cannabis smoke with cigarette smoke, even though they are vastly different,” she said.

Shaw also noted tobacco companies are known to treat their crops heavily with herbicides and pesticides, whereas many cannabis companies strive to keep their products as natural as possible. “We would be making a huge mistake to treat cannabis [crops] like tobacco,” Shaw said.

There’s some evidence Big Tobacco’s entry into the cannabis industry has been a long time coming.

In 2014, corporate documents were unearthed to reveal that Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, and RJ Reynolds Tobacco were holding internal discussions on the issue several decades ago.

“Since at least the 1970s, tobacco companies have been interested in marijuana and marijuana legalization as both a potential and a rival product,” reads a study of the documents by the health-policy journal Milbank Quarterly. “Although the tobacco industry has not visibly supported marijuana legalization, as policymakers discussed decriminalization and potential legalization, the tobacco industry’s corporate planners took into consideration the shifting public opinion and future consumer demand.”

More recently, Ernst and Young surveyed senior executives and board members with licensed-cannabis producers across Canada. The subsequent 2017 report states that 75 percent of them believe “big players” from various industries will move into legal cannabis.

“Established industries such as tobacco, pharmaceuticals and alcohol are expected to enter this space and try to leverage existing competencies and assets,” that report reads.

Hilary Black, director of patient education and advocacy for Canopy Growth Corporation and a founder of the B.C. Compassion Club Society, put it like this: “You can’t stop money.”

She told the Straight it will therefore become increasingly important for cannabis consumers to pay attention to who they’re buying from.

“If they [tobacco companies] are going invest in publicly traded companies, you can’t prevent that,” Black said. “As cannabis enters the mainstream, I hope that there’s a consciousness around corporate social responsibility and sustainability that continues to be important to cannabis consumers.”

Jeremy Jacob and Andrea Dobbs operate a cannabis dispensary in False Creek.
TRAVIS LUPICK
In a telephone interview, Jeremy Jacob, president of the Canadian Association of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries (CAMCD) and co-owner and operator of the Village Dispensary, suggested that the future of Canada’s cannabis industry could largely depend on forces even more powerful than Big Tobacco.

“In an unrestricted and free-trade environment, it makes sense for the biggest corporations to buy assets in emerging industries,” he said. “How do you stop it?

“We’re the first [country to legalize], and that’s an opportunity for Canada,” Jacobs continued. “But the way that our economy operates, this is only a momentary opportunity for Canada until the right deal comes to the table from the right multinational corporation. And then it’s no longer a Canadian industry.”

 

[momofthegoons]

For any of you in Canada who are looking to work in the Cannabis industry......

Cannabis jobs in Canada: who’s hiring (March 2018 edition)

Recreational cannabis legalization may have been pushed back to August by the Senate, but Canada's cannabis industry hasn't slowed down. In February, there were 335 new listings for cannabis jobs on national careers sites, indicating an average of 84 new listings per week throughout the month – up 25 per cent from January’s average of 67 listings per week.

In addition to a long list of new roles open here at Lift, here are some of the best cannabis jobs posted since our last round-up.

Farming and production
The two production roles in high-demand this month are extraction specialists and cleaners.

In Victoria, BC, an extraction assistant is needed at Medijuana and an experienced extraction technician is needed at Emerald Health Botanicals.

More extraction technicians are needed at OSG4Life in Olds, AB, and in Ontario at CannTrust Inc in Vaughan, at MedRelief Corp in Markham, and at Canopy Growth Corp in Smiths Falls.

Aurora Cannabis is hiring a janitorial cleaner and an industrial cleaner at their facility in Nisku, AB. Aurora is also seeking cleaners for their Quebec facilities in Pointe-Claire and Lachute, as well as a maintenance technician for their facility in Edmonton, AB.

Aurora’s Pointe-Claire location is also in need of a bulk packaging lead and growers for their propagation team and harvest team. Meanwhile Aurora’s facility in Nisku, AB, is seeking an irrigation supervisor and a production manager.

Sales and distribution
Note: recreational cannabis is still illegal across Canada, so storefront retailers distributing cannabis operate illegally. As a result, employees may be exposed to legal risks.

Retail dispensary sales reps are being sought after by MB Meds in Toronto, ON, and by Soleil Naturals in Kelowna, BC.

In Victoria, BC, Cloud Nine Dispensaries is still looking for budtenders, and Medijuana is hiring sales consultants and a retail manager.

As for legal licensed producers, The Flowr Corporation has an opening for a director of adult-use sales in Markham, ON, and Peace Naturals Project Inc seeks a territory representative in Toronto.

Also in Toronto, Aurora Cannabis Inc is hiring sales agents and a sales lead for the Greater Toronto Area, and Canopy Growth Corp is hiring an Ontario sales coordinator.

Corporate and office roles
In Smiths Falls, ON, Canopy Growth Corp is seeking a recruiter to aid with staffing intake, as well as a junior documentation control specialist. Meanwhile an inventory control coordinator is needed at Canopy’s facility in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Vancouver is seeing an uptick of new corporate cannabis positions. Sproutly Inc’s Vancouver headquarters is seeking a junior assistant to the CEO and an accounting manager, while an intermediate accountant is being sought by Affinity Enterprises.

Also in Vancouver, a marketing and corporate development representative is needed at Fundamental Research Corp, and a category manager for cannabis operations is being advertised for the provincial government’s BC Liquor Distribution Branch.

Back in Ontario, brand managers are needed at Up Cannabis in Oakville and at Tweed in Toronto.

Other opportunities in Toronto include Hiku Brands, which is hiring an investor relations specialist, and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, which is offering three positions for senior policy and program advisors in their Addiction and Substances Policy and Programs Unit.

Research & clinical services
Opportunities abound at all levels this month in research and lab work.

In Ontario, MedReleaf Corp needs a junior laboratory technician in Markham, while Canopy Growth Corp seeks a laboratory clerk for their Smiths Fallsfacility.

Ascent Industries Corp is seeking a plant tissue culture technician and a quality assurance manager for their facility in Maple Ridge, BC, while a senior quality assurance associate is needed at Radicle Medical Marijuana in Hamilton, ON.

Also sought in Maple Ridge for Ascent Industries is a vice president of science, research, and product development, and a scientific intern is needed at Avicanna in Toronto.

In Montréal, Lady Davis Research Institute is looking for a research assistantand a postdoctoral fellow in early intervention in psychosis with a focus on cannabis at Universite de Montreal.

Remote/Telecommuting
Options for remote work continue to be few and far between, with only two new listings posted in the past 30 days that specify a remote work arrangement.

Both new listings are at UB Marketing Inc, which seeks junior and seniorbusiness development representatives for their sales team.

As always, for the most up-to-date listings check your local classified resources, and national job boards like Cannabis At Work, SimplyHired, Indeed, and the Government of Canada’s online job bank. And of course, check jobs.lift.co for opportunities to join the Lift team!