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ASTM International and United States Pharmacopeia to Hold Cannabis Quality Workshop

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PENNSYLVANIA & MARYLAND: ASTM International and U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) will hold a virtual global workshop on cannabis quality on Dec. 7-8, 2022., from 8:00 a.m. – 12:15 ET (2:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. CET) each day. Interested participants must register for the free event. 

The workshop will feature standards and guidelines from ASTM International, USP, PhEur, and other relevant organizations and discuss how these resources can help address challenges specific to cannabis quality. Participants will explore science-based resources from these organizations and opportunities to harmonize the varying national requirements for cannabis quality for products intended for medical use and scientific research.

The objectives of the cannabis quality workshop are:

  • provide awareness of the existing data, regulatory framework and public policy for cannabis quality, public quality standards, and policy guidance documents on defining cannabis product quality attributes globally – initially from an American and European perspective.
  • help participants understand the basis for standards to explore potential harmonization among standards groups.
  • facilitate discussions between stakeholders to identify needs and challenges related to cannabis quality.
  • discover global data gaps to inform and research needs.

The workshop will feature four panel sessions over the course of the two day event.

December 7

  • regulatory panel with representatives from Health Canada, CANNRA, and Europe.
  • standards panel featuring representatives from USP, ASTM, and EDQM.

December 8

  • industry panel featuring representatives from Indena, Jazz Pharma, and more.
  • closing session on perspectives from academia, healthcare practitioners, and consultants.

Click here to learn more about the panel session topics or to register for the free cannabis quality workshop visit.

ASTM International is a not-for-profit nongovernmental organization that develops voluntary consensus standards and defers to appropriate government authorities to determine the legal and regulatory framework regarding the control and use of cannabis.

GCAC Awarded License to Operate as Medical Cannabis Retailer

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CANADA: Global Cannabis Applications Corp. (“GCAC”), a leading medical cannabis retail sales and blockchain compliance platform, is pleased to announce today it has been approved as a Sale for Medical Purposes (without possession) License holder by Health Canada under the Cannabis Act. GCAC will operate Canada’s first medical cannabis online retail store that uses blockchain technology on a per batch basis to safely and reliably deliver medical cannabis treatments.

GCAC provides a unique and engaging retail experience with blockchain truths underpinning the provenance, quality, and accuracy of potency disclosures of medical cannabis [1]. The store expects to provide a wide selection of therapeutic products for patients, including the Company’s own line of branded cannabis, as well as a comprehensive offering of medical cannabis, including whole flower, oils, vapes, and pre-rolls, all offered with patient health and wellbeing in mind.

Unique to GCAC, patients may anonymously provide efficacy feedback on cannabis treatments using the Efixii app [2], thereby helping to improve the health of others in the Efixii community.

“We applied for our license last year [3] and have since worked with Health Canada to meet the strict conditions of such an incredible responsibility. In parallel, we’ve been working with some amazing micro-cultivators during the pandemic, and while challenging, it has helped us to better learn of the environmental concerns in the cannabis space. We believe consumers want to know about the Environmental, Social and Governance policies that cultivators follow, and we listened, invested, and upgraded Efixii to allow our cultivators to tell their ESG story before the launch of our retail store [4].” says GCAC’s CEO, Brad Moore.

The addressable market for GCAC’s medical cannabis sales in Canada is C$2 billion, which comprises 292,000 registered patients, consuming an average of 2 grams a day each [5], with an average price of C$9.81 gram [6]. In addition, GCAC is the only national vendor to demonstrate the entire lifecycle of each plant consumed which gives patients much comfort in their treatment.

Efixii is licensed to cultivators in a SaaS model and is a free-to-use app for cannabis consumers. Cannabis sold through the licensed GCAC portal generates sustainable revenues. Efixii’s cannabis data is the intellectual property (“IP”) of GCAC. This IP creates an inherent difficulty in replicating or competing with GCAC’s cannabis sales and datasets. GCAC defined their protocols in a provisional U.S. patent application, ‘System of Process and Tracking Cannabis Products and Associated Method Using Blockchain’ filed with the USPTO on December 17, 2020.

Health Canada Releases New Data On Cannabis Use In Canada

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CANADA:  Health Canada published the results of its 2020 Canadian Cannabis Survey. Results of the survey provide a snapshot of Canadians’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards cannabis and its use. Data were collected from April 30 to June 22, 2020.

The survey results will help to evaluate the impact of the Cannabis Act and inform policy and program development, and public education and awareness activities. This important research complements data collected through Health Canada’s national drug surveillance surveys—the Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey and the Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey.

Key findings show that:

  • More than half of those who use cannabis, report using it three days a month or less. 54% reported using cannabis three days per month or less, while 18% reported daily cannabis use. Responses were unchanged from 2019.
  • More than half of those who use cannabis choose to obtain it through a legal source. 41% reported legal storefront as their usual source, an increase from 24% in 2019, whereas 13% reported obtaining cannabis from a legal online source.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has had some impacts on cannabis use. People who used cannabis in the past 12 months were asked if their cannabis use had changed due the pandemic—56% reported using the same amount, while 22% reported using more and 22% reported using less.
  • Smoking remains the most common method of consuming cannabis, but it has declined while eating cannabis products has increased since 2019.
  • Almost 8 in 10 Canadians feel they have access to trustworthy information to make informed decisions about their cannabis use. An increase from 71% in 2019 to 77% in 2020. Information about the health risks associated with cannabis use is widely available and reaching Canadians.
  • Driving after cannabis use has decreased among those who reported past 12-month cannabis use, as compared to 2019 results. 22% of those who use cannabis drove within two hours of smoking or vapourizing cannabis in their lifetime and 13% reported driving within four hours of orally ingesting cannabis in their lifetime.
  • The federal government will continue to conduct research and share the results with Canadians, public health officials, provinces and territories, and other stakeholders.

CannTrust Discloses Notice Of Licence Suspension

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CANADA: CannTrust Holdings has announced that it received late this morning a Notice of Licence Suspension under section 64(1) of the Cannabis Act. The Notice cites the Company’s previous non-compliance with certain requirements of the Cannabis Act and the regulation made thereunder in respect of the matters that the Company has been discussing with Health Canada.

CannTrust logoThe Notice states that Health Canada has suspended CannTrust’s authority to produce cannabis, other than cultivating and harvesting, and to sell cannabis. As such, the Notice constitutes a partial suspension of the Company’s licence for standard cultivation and a full suspension of its licences for standard processing, medical sales, cannabis drugs and research issued under the Cannabis regulations. While the suspension remains in effect, CannTrust will be permitted to cultivate and harvest existing lots or batches previously propagated, as well as conducting ancillary activities to those lots, including drying, trimming and milling. During the suspension, CannTrust may not propagate new lots or batches of cannabis or engage in the sale or distribution of cannabis.

The Notice states that Health Canada will reinstate CannTrust’s licences under section 64(4) of the Cannabis Act if the reasons for the suspension no longer exist or if CannTrust demonstrates that the suspension was unfounded.  The Notice also states that Health Canada considers that implementation of the following measures could potentially address the public health and safety risks that contributed to Health Canada’s decision to issue the Notice:

  • Measures to ensure that cannabis will be produced and distributed only as authorized, including measures to control the movement of cannabis in and out of CannTrust’s site;

  • Measures to recover cannabis that was not authorized by CannTrust’s licence;

  • Measures to improve key personnel’s knowledge of, and compliance with the provisions of the Act and the Regulations that apply to CannTrust; and,

  • Measures for improving the manner in which records are kept, including a plan to improve the inventory tracking, and any interim measures to ensure that information provided to Health Canada can be reconciled.

The Company’s management and Board of Directors are reviewing the Notice with the Company’s counsel and other advisors.

Over the past two months, the Company has moved swiftly to assess and address Health Canada’s concerns, including areas of operational non-compliance. The Company remains committed to being in full regulatory compliance.

FSD Pharma Receives Cannabis Sales License From Health Canada

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CANADA: FSD Pharma Inc. announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary FV Pharma Inc. has received its Sale for Medical Purposes license to sell cannabis under the Cannabis Act (Canada). The license went into effect on April 18, 2019.

The license allows the current FSD facility to supply and sell cannabis products. The company anticipates receiving the amended sales license that will include the sale of dried and fresh cannabis flower in the near future.

Dr. Raza Bokhari, Executive Co-Chairman and CEO congratulated the FSD Pharma team, shareholders and stakeholders on this much anticipated achievement. Dr. Bokhari stated, “Our sales license is a key development for FSD Pharma and a huge success and step forward for our Cobourg Facility.”

“We have achieved this milestone thanks to the efforts of our dedicated team. We are exceptionally proud of this achievement and look forward to accelerating our efforts,” commented Dr. Sara May, President of FV Pharma Inc.

Zeeshan Saeed, President and Founder, added, “The granting of our sales license allows FSD to serve the growing medicinal use markets in Canada. We intend to quickly scale up production at our current facility, while continuing to build out the plant to add additional grow capacity. In addition, our sales license opens the door for our partner Canntab Therapeutics to commence sales of its suite of novel cannabis oral dose delivery platforms, including CBD and THC capsules, in Canada and global markets. We expect that this will provide an immediate benefit to both parties, since FSD is entitled to a share of Canntab’s revenue from sales as a result of the collaboration and profit sharing agreement that we entered into this past fall.”

Anthony Durkacz, Founder and Executive Co-Chairman of the board speaking on behalf of the FSD Pharma Board of Directors stated, “We are proud of the leadership at FSD Pharma. This industry is transforming very rapidly and the leadership has positioned the company well to generate top tier revenue from our medicinal grade cannabis production.”

Tilray Expands Manufacturing Capacity With New Processing License From Health Canada

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Newly-acquired Natura Naturals Inc. located in Leamington, Ontario obtains processing license, allowing it to produce a wide range of cannabis form factors for the Canadian market

CANADA: Natura Naturals Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tilray, Inc. and High Park Holdings Ltd., has received a standard processing license under the Cannabis Act. The Natura greenhouse facility, which previously held a standard cultivation license, will now be able to manufacture a wide range of cannabis form factors from cannabis starting material, including oil, pre-rolls, and novel formats such as topicals and edibles.

Natura, which will operate under High Park Gardens Inc., was acquired by Tilray in February 2019 to serve the adult-use and medical cannabis market in Canada alongside Tilray’s existing operations. The site is a 662,000 square-foot greenhouse facility with 155,000 square-feet licensed for cultivation. The addition of a standard processing license means that High Park Gardens will be able process cannabis raw material cultivated on site – as well as raw material sourced from other cannabis licensees – into a variety of value-add product formats. This development provides Tilray’s facilities additional flexibility in the manufacture of products for the Canadian cannabis market, and in the development of novel products in preparation for legalization of additional cannabis products, including tinctures, concentrates and edibles, in Canada later this year.

High Park Gardens will work closely with Tilray’s existing operations in British Columbia and Ontario: High Park Farms Ltd., a cultivation and processing facility featuring 13 acres of greenhouse space on 100 acres of property in Enniskillen, Ontario; High Park processing facility, a 56,000 square-foot processing and R&D facility in London, Ontario and Tilray Canada Ltd., a cultivation, research and processing facility located in Nanaimo, British Columbia. All sites are actively engaged in the cultivation, manufacture, and sale of cannabis products for the Canadian cannabis market.

“The acquisition of High Park Gardens in February allowed us to significantly increase our production footprint,” says Greg Christopher, EVP Operations, Tilray. “With this additional licensing, we’re pleased to have expanded Tilray and High Park’s capacity to develop and manufacture high-quality branded products for the Canadian market.”

 

Aphria Receives Health Canada License Amendment, Approving Fully Expanded Production At Aphria One

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CANADA: Aphria has announced that Health Canada has granted the Company its license amendment, permitting Aphria to commence production in an additional 800,000 square feet of facilities at its Aphria One location, as part of the Company’s completed Part IV and Part V expansions.

aphria logo“This is a major milestone for Aphria on its path to becoming a leading global cannabis producer, as well as a positive development greatly anticipated by the Canadian cannabis industry,” said Irwin D. Simon, Interim CEO of Aphria. “Aphria’s progress expanding production and automation is essential to our strategy of securing scale and long-term advantages that enable the evolution of the cannabis industry through product and brand innovation. With Aphria One, we now have the ability to expand our production capacity by over three times.”

Simon concluded, “We are ready to hit the ground running and look forward to alleviating industry-wide supply constraints with our greatly expanded production capacity and sophisticated, proprietary automation technology that will ensure Aphria remains at the forefront of cannabis cultivation and innovation. In anticipation of Health Canada’s approval, we had allocated a portion of our previously approved capacity to mother and vegetative plants that will be used as the initial growing crops in Part IV and Part V. As a result of these measures, growing operations in the expanded facilities are expected to commence without delay. By this Friday, we will move swiftly to establish nearly 22,000 plants in the Part IV and Part V expansion, with an additional 12,000 plants added each week thereafter until we reach full crop rotation.”

Industry-Leading Automation

The completed Part IV & Part V expansions at Aphria One bring industrial-scale horticulture production technology to cannabis cultivation. While critical phases such as initial cuttings, trimming and pruning mature plants will be performed by hand, the in-house designed technology will automate key steps, including:

  • Transplanting cuttings
  • Transporting plants through harvesting
  • De-budding & rough trimming
  • Drying & curing
  • Waste disposal

Aphria One

The 700,000 square foot Part IV Expansion and the 100,000 square foot Part V expansion represent the completion of Aphria’s five-part expansion at Aphria. Once in full rotation, Part IV and Part V will produce on an incremental annualized basis 80,000 kg bringing the total annualize production capacity at Aphria One to 110,000 kg.

Health Canada Releases New Data On Cannabis Use In Canada

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2018 Survey provides a snapshot of Canadians’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to cannabis before the law changed

CANADA:The old approach to cannabis did not work. It let criminals and organized crime profit, while failing to keep cannabis out of the hands of Canadian youth. In many cases, it has been easier for our kids to buy cannabis than cigarettes.

To address these issues, on October 17, the Government of Canada legalized and strictly regulated access to cannabis. To track Canadians’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards cannabis, the Government of Canada is examining how usage changes from year to year. Standardized and comparable data are needed to evaluate the impact of the new cannabis legislation and to develop policy and program initiatives, including public education and awareness activities.

Between May and July 2018, Health Canada asked almost 13,000 Canadians about their knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to cannabis, including their cannabis use and driving behaviours after consuming cannabis. Results from the 2018 Canadian Cannabis Survey released today provide a snapshot of Canadians’ views and habits related to cannabis several months before the Cannabis Act came into force:

  • how much and how often they used cannabis,
  • where they got it from,
  • what forms of cannabis they consumed,
  • the extent to which they were accepting of cannabis use,
  • what they thought about its potential to be habit forming, and
  • whether they believed cannabis could affect someone’s ability to operate a motor vehicle.

The Canadian Cannabis Survey contributes to the foundation of information needed to measure and monitor the impacts of the Government’s cannabis legislation. It also complements previously collected data on the prevalence of cannabis use in the general population.

These survey results reinforce the Government of Canada’s continued public education efforts on the facts around cannabis, as well as on drug-impaired driving, to support Canadians in making informed decisions on cannabis use.

The Canadian Cannabis Survey was designed to seek a greater number of respondents who use cannabis in order to obtain more detailed information on cannabis use in Canada, such as frequency of use and methods of consumption. As such, it is important to note that the Canadian Cannabis Survey is not a general population survey and its results are not representative of the Canadian population.

 

Zenabis Receives Cannabis Plant Sales License

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CANADA: Zenabis, a licensed producer, has announced that Health Canada has issued an amendment to its Producer’s License. Zenabis is now eligible to sell clones to other licensed producers under current Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). The amended license also opens the door for the Company to meet national demand for high-quality cannabis.

The amended sales license was issued for Zenabis’ 380,000 square foot facility in Atholville, New Brunswick, and is effective from April 13, 2018 through January 19, 2021. Zenabis received its cultivation license for Atholville in August 2017, and has since been growing top of the line, high-yielding, pharmaceutical-grade cannabis plants and preparing for its release of top quality cannabis strains.

“Obtaining our license to sell cannabis plants is a significant milestone for Zenabis and an incredible opportunity for innovation,” stated Kevin Coft, CEO of Zenabis, “We take pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our cannabis plants and with this amended license can now support the Canadian cannabis community.”

This amended license brings the Company one step closer to increasing its global presence as the prominent industry leader in cannabis innovation, production, and distribution of high-demand cannabis strains.

High Park Farms Receives Cannabis Cultivation License From Health Canada

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CANADA:  High Park Farms announced that it has received a federal license from Health Canada to cultivate cannabis under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). The High Park Farms facility, which is anticipated to represent an investment of up to $30 million, features 13 acres of greenhouse on 100 acres of property in Enniskillen, Ontario.

“This license is a major milestone for High Park as we work to prepare for the anticipated launch of the world’s largest federally legal cannabis market later this year,” said Adine Carter, Chief Marketing Officer of High Park.

High Park Farms will begin cultivating cannabis plants in its greenhouse next week and anticipates its first harvest in June. In accordance with the Cannabis Act introduced in Canadian parliament in April 2017, High Park Farms anticipates that its ACMPR cultivation license will provide the company the ability to supply the adult-use cannabis market in Canada once the legislation is adopted.

High Park launched earlier this month to produce and distribute a broad-based portfolio of cannabis brands and products for the Canadian market in anticipation of adult-use legalization. Based in Toronto and led by a team with deep experience in cannabis and global consumer brands, High Park has secured the exclusive rights to produce and distribute a broad-based portfolio of adult-use cannabis brands and products in Canada, subject to applicable laws and regulations. In addition, High Park has developed new brands and products for the Canadian market. Pending federal legalization of cannabis for adult-use and corresponding provincial legislation, High Park anticipates fulfilling adult-use supply agreements in Quebec, Manitoba, and Yukon. High Park plans to secure additional supply agreements with crown corporations and private entities in other provinces in the coming months.