Was Recreational Cannabis a Winner or Loser This Year For Canada?

How Did Canada Fare With Recreational Cannabis This Year?

Legalizing recreational marijuana had its fair share of bumps on the road for Canada this year. Still, it was undoubtedly one of the biggest news of all of 2018 because Canada became the first G7 nation to finally say goodbye to prohibition.

Provinces and territories throughout the country also experienced their own challenges. But regardless, sales data shows that cannabis sales in Canada reached an impressive $43 million. The figures, which come from Statistics Canada, were collected from both online and in-store sales in cannabis retailers from October onwards.

However, they could have raked in higher if not for the infamous cannabis supply shortages that affected the country. Statistics Canada data shows that before legalization, 4.9 million Canadians consumed cannabis in 2017 and spent a total of C$5.7 billion on cannabis products. However, 90% of that went to the black market. These figures confirm that Canada’s legal recreational market is massive, and still has a lot of potential to grow.

But the supply shortages are being addressed, albeit slowly.

A Calgary Sun news article discloses that there are millions of square feet in cannabis production that should come in pretty soon. That, plus more federal sales licenses granted to producers, will eventually be patching up the supply issue for provincial government distributors. “By the end of the second quarter next year, there’ll be a massive improvement in the amount of supply available,” says National Access Cannabis CEO Mark Goliger. The firm operates the biggest chain of cannabis shops in Canada. “We won’t reach surplus, but the big suppliers will reach a mass capacity to supply the market.”

The tipping point for cannabis sales, though, lies in the legalization of edibles. And that won’t happen until October 17, 2019. Legal edibles which may include drinks as well, could seriously boost cannabis sales in Canada, explains Goliger. “There will be new entrants into cannabis consumption because they don’t have to smoke it, we’ll see more interest in the business,” he says.

The first draft of the regulations have been released, which include the restrictions on infused drinks, food, and extracts including inhalable extracts, topicals, and THC concentrates. There would also be new limits on the THC content as well as the additives used in extracts and edibles. Additionally, it outlines new, more precise standards to be used for packaging, labeling, and marketing cannabis products.

More To Look Forward To In 2019

Citizens are eagerly awaiting many positive changes that the new year could bring. One of them, hopefully, would be the expungement of minor cannabis crimes.

In October, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale and the Liberal government announced that they would be waiving the fees involved with, and expediting pardons, for individuals who have been charged with minor cannabis crimes. But this isn’t enough for advocates who want them to get rid of all government records listing the offense because having a criminal record will prevent people from traveling internationally, and will make it difficult for them to apply for jobs. In Toronto alone, 15% of individuals on social welfare says that the “need for a record suspension” is the main obstacle to employment. Additionally, individuals with a criminal record can’t rent an apartment on their own.

It just isn’t right for people to suffer from the consequences that come with having a criminal record for a substance that is legal NOW.

Ontario residents can also finally look forward to brick and mortar cannabis stores. Since legalization in October, they have had no choice but to rely on online ordering for their medications. However, the local government will only be doling out 25 licenses come April.

Despite the hiccups Canada experienced following legalization, some of which didn’t come as a shock while others were inevitable, obviously the world didn’t end. Prohibitionists voiced concerns that Canada’s society would crumble once recreational cannabis was made legal. And look: lots are still the same in the Great White North, over two months after adult use was legalized. Canada may be in the early days of their green rush, but by the looks of it, they’re doing just fine and may even come out to set a good framework for other countries to follow once the issues have been ironed out.