Past month we celebrated the legalization of recreational cannabis use, however, some weeks later we’ve seen some obstacles to get the cannabis product we want.
As we have explained before, some rules to get cannabis may vary between different provinces, e.g: you can smoke at Vancouver airport, but in Ontario you won’t be able to consume cannabis (smoking, vaping, eating) in a vehicle or boat.
Most of the users complaint about the lack of variety they get at private stores.
Cannabis 101
Cannabis strains are either pure or hybrid, both are divided in: sativa, indica and ruderalis (not very popular in this side of the world).
These varieties are developed to intensify specific characteristics of the plant, choosing them will depends on how you want to feel after consuming it, high? Get sativa; looking for relaxing effects? Get indica.
Different presentations
- Dried flower: For users who enjoy the flexibility of smoking marijuana through a variety of methods.
- Pre-rolls: For consumers who prefer a different way of smoking marijuana and/or may not be able to roll their own joints.
- Oil: Most of the times, for medical marijuana users and consumers who do not enjoy smoking marijuana but still want the same effect.
- Seeds and gel caps: For users looking to grow their own cannabis for recreational or medicinal purposes; people who want the health and psychoactive benefits of cannabis but prefer to ingest in pill form.
Availability
During the preparation process before legalization, the online store managed by B.C’s Liquor Distribution Branch expressed the will use Shopify Inc.’s e-commerce platform and will feature around 85 dried-flower strains of cannabis plus a selection of oils, capsules and pre-rolls approved by Health Canada.
On the other hand, weeks before legalization, Minister of Public Safety Mike Farnworth revealed that B.C.’s online pot shop would offer 117 different strains and varieties of legal weed. Some major difference, right?
Also before legalization, Bret Mitchell, The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) President & CEO., explained that “We have done our homework and believe the 78 strains we have ordered will provide customers with a varied product assortment,” and added, “We have carefully selected the strains and will adjust our inventory based on customer preference.”
With these first purchase orders, the NSLC carried 282 cannabis products and 21 accessories.
Restrictions
After Oct.17th, some weed users were disappointed that store shelves will only stock dried flower, oils and seeds; no edibles. The government explained they need about another year to develop regulations for edibles.
There’s also a conflict related to labeling: Health Canada has dictated large warning labels on otherwise plain packages, with strict restrictions on font sizes, styles and colors. The idea is to discourage misuse and to avoid appealing to youths, but on the other hand it also leaves no space for creativity of company logos or branding.
As edibles are not legal yet, you won’t be able to get, for example, a brownie with cannabis.
How is it distribute?
In British Columbia
In July, the province announced they signed supply deals with 31 licensed producers. According to British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch, products will be available in the following formats:
- Capsule: 15g, 30g
- Oil: 15ml, 20ml, 30ml
- Dried flower: 1g, 3.5g, 7g
- Pre-rolls: 0.5g, 1g, 1.5g, 2g, 2.5g, 3g
- Seeds: 4g
In Quebec
According to Société Québécoise de Cannabis (SQDC) the plan is to open 20 storefronts “gradually”. However, the SQDC store is expected to offer roughly 150 cannabis products each.
Raise of black market?
One of the reasons that supported the legalization of recreational of marijuana in Canada was to shut down black market.
Sadly, some restrictions to get an specific strain could lead to a raise of black market, according to the Statistics Canada, on average, the price of pot on the black market before legalization was around $6.83 per gram.
What’s your favorite strain? Is easy for you to get at a legal dispensary? Let us know!
In Nunavut, a gram can be $20 to $100! So the GN sells cannabis for $15 a gram plus tax plus shipping making it more expensive than the black market. Also, the weed is horrible. Desicated and weak. No flavor or aromas. Dry as dust. 18% at best. A facsimalie. Mass produced, not grown in a field. Not grown in soil. The result is by a fully automated process complete with drying ovens. Mass produced garbage. Weed should come in a bag not a jar. Weed should smell good and taste awesome. Legal cannabis is not even cannabis if you ask me.
Stats Canada is WAY OFF on the average price! LMAO!! (as anyone pot smoker will attest)
The average was closer to $12 per gram than it was to SIX!!
I’ve never seen a price UNDER $10 per gram yet! (even back in the seventies when weed gram purchases started)
The ONLY way you could get prices like that is in BULK but not in per gram prices