BlissCo Cannabis Corp. (CSE: BLIS) (FRA: GQ4B), ("BlissCo") submitted a license amendment application to Health Canada to produce cannabis oil on June 6, 2018.

Vanguard Scientific Systems, MIDAS XII Co2 Extraction System (CNW Group/BlissCo Cannabis Corp.)

"The BlissCo team with the support of two international partners has designed a state of the art cannabis oil extraction lab, that in phase one will be able to produce 420 kilograms of cannabis oil annually. These 420 kilograms of cannabis oil will be used to create cannabis oil tinctures and capsules to service Canadian medical patients and international distribution partners," said BlissCo CEO Damian Kettlewell.

As Canada continues its march towards the legalization of recreational cannabis, we should pay much more heed to the unintended consequences.

Last week, the Senate passed Bill C-45 by a vote of 56-30, with one abstention. The Senate sent the bill back to the House of Commons with a boatload of amendments, including restrictions on cannabis promotion, home-grown pot and sharing weed with minors.

It’s just a matter of details now. There is no question the bill will pass, and within a matter of months, weed will be legal in Canada.

Saint John conference hears how companies grapple with raising brand awareness — without breaking the law.

Before New Brunswick's cannabis stores open to the public, marketers are grappling with the challenge of how to tell customers about their brand without breaking the law. 

"We've been given very clear direction," Ray Gracewood, chief commercial officer for New Brunswick-based Organigram, said Tuesday at the World Cannabis Congress in Saint John.

"[For example,] the fact that we are only allowed one colour on the packaging."

Earlier this year, Health Canada introduced strict guidelines around labelling.

Containers must display health warnings, similar to tobacco products, and company logos and lettering have to stay small.

Marijuana media pioneer says Canada will lead the world on legalization.

Canada is still hammering out the final details for legalized recreational marijuana use, but it’s already being branded as the “world’s most important” cannabis exporter.

“It’s historic what’s been done here,” said Ricardo Baca, a veteran journalist known as the world’s first marijuana editor. “The groundwork that’s being laid will end up impacting cannabis business, cannabis research, the world over for decades to come.”

General manager of provincial pot retailer hopes to conquer stereotypes about cannabis users.

It's not everyday that someone can add "general manager of New Brunswick's first cannabis retail chain" to the old resumé.

But Lara Wood can. And with her new position as general manager of Cannabis NB comes a wide array of challenges.

One of the main issues is the promotion of the product itself, a task mostly centred on education and public safety.

"As it becomes legal, the priority has to be helping people understand the product … how it works, the effects," said Wood, who will oversee the retail chain, staff and product.

"People who are existing consumers even have to understand how it works in a legal environment."

Many Canadian workplaces aren’t nearly ready for the fast-approaching legalization of marijuana, a marijuana industry expert told the World Cannabis Congress Monday.

Jason Fleming, vice-president of human resources for Ontario marijuana producer MedReleaf, said there’s still a lack of definitive testing, and many employers have not educated staff on new policies.

“Employers are having to write policies and have to prepare, but in many cases they are still using really outdated, anecdotal information,” he said Monday in Saint John.

International treaties, Health Canada ban on imports restrict supply from abroad.

Licensed cannabis producers are ramping up production to get ready for legalization of marijuana in Canada this year, but are also bracing for demand to far outstrip supply because of restrictions on imports.

Health Canada forbids licensed producers, which will be the only authorized sellers of marijuana to provincial governments, from importing any cannabis for sale, regardless of whether the purchase is for medical or recreational purposes.

The only cannabis imports that the department allows are those classified as genetic material for licensed dealers that conduct research and testing.

Survey asks public thoughts on cannabis, interest in trying pot products.

With the legalization of marijuana on the horizon, the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) wants to know what the community thinks about cannabis and its products through an online survey.

The public will have until the end of June to fill out the anonymous survey, which will ask people about their attitudes and knowledge of cannabis, cannabis use and impacts — and if they are interested in trying cannabis edibles.

Province lays out rules in anticipation of federal legalization.

After months of debate and revisions, Quebec has adopted a law laying out the guidelines for the sale and distribution of cannabis in the province.

Premier Philippe Couillard's Liberals, who hold a majority in the National Assembly, all voted for Bill 157. Québec Solidaire, which holds three seats, also voted in favour.

The opposition Parti Québécois and Coalition Avenir Québec voted against (more on that later).

Public Health Minister Lucie Charlebois says the province will be ready when the federal legislation will be in place later this year. 

But she also took pains to stress the government is not promoting cannabis and the legislation includes plenty of restrictions on its use.

$20K licensing fee and a $10K annual licence renewal fee proposed.

A proposed bylaw for the sale of marijuana in Saskatoon could see future retailers pay $20,000 for a licence and another $10,000 per year to renew that licence.

The city's Standing Policy Committee on Planning, Development and Community Services also recommends that any pot shop in the city have an air filtration system installed so that the smell of weed doesn't disturb nearby businesses. 

The report said the cash from the licences "can be used to mitigate the costs of regulation," but added that the fee structure could be reworked as marijuana becomes more established in the city.