Canada is legalizing Cannabis edibles in October, but Canada Health explains sales likely will not start until December 2019.
Canada is considered a Cannabis innovator, having legalized recreational Cannabis nationwide last year. However, there are still tweaks to be made to the law, which includes the amendment to legalize edibles. The Cannabis Act is expected to be appropriately amended in late October of 2019. Although,
officials do not expect to see widespread sales of edibles until December.
The main reason for this delay is the 60-day notice period for new cannabis beverage sales and products.
60-Day Notice Period
Most Cannabis enthusiasts have anxiously awaited the passing of this new law in October. Understandably, people are expecting the explosion of edibles to descend upon the country over night, becoming available almost everywhere. Yet, there is a caveat to the October release that makes this expectation virtually impossible. That caveat is the 60-Day notice period.
Applications for Cannabis beverage and edibles sale can be submitted prior to the amendment being passed. Yet, no approval will be made until the law is officially enforced. Anyone holding a Federal License must submit sixty-day notice to
Health Canada if they intend to sell new Cannabis products. This clock does not start for any distributer until the amendment is official.
Health Canada says this is to allow distributers to have time to obtain products. Plus, the timeframe is supposedly allowed to help distributers assimilate to the rules and regulations of selling edibles. After all, there are quite a bit of rules and regulations accompanying this new rule. Unfortunately, this is not news to Cannabis enthusiasts, who have fought long and hard for every inch of legalization success.
Rules and Regulation Overview
The excitement that Cannabis enthusiasts have in knowing edibles will be legalized in Canada is bogged down with bureaucracy. (However, it isn’t as though the Cannabis community expected any less.)
Fortunately, the guidelines for Cannabis edibles are already available, with the highlight of these regulations being the THC limit. Here is an overview of all the current rules and regulations surrounding the legalization of Cannabis beverage sale and edibles:
- Cannabis edibles and drinkables will only be allowed to contain 10mg of THC.
- New products cannot contain any added vitamins, minerals or nicotine. Caffeine products will be available but highly regulated.
- Packages must be child-resistant, and labels have a litany of required health warnings, in addition to an ingredients list, allergens, and Nutrition Facts.
- Cannabis edibles and drinkables may not make any health or dietary claims.
Here is a full explanation of regulations, as they stand right now, before the amendment is passed.