BenRichards wrote:
Namaste Technologies apologized on Friday for hiring models dressed up as sexy nurses and distributing banned promotional items to tout medical marijuana at a private party honoring Snoop Dogg. Namaste Technologies, which says it wants to become the Amazon of Cannabis, hosted an evening at New City Gas in Montreal for its investors and offered a performance by Snoop Dogg (DJ Snoopedlic).
On the spot, women disguised as sexy nurses, which was considered in bad taste by some.
"I apologize on behalf of the company to anyone who may have been offended," said Namaste CEO Sean Dollinger. It was clear that they were not real nurses, but it was not in good taste. "These "nurses" offered forms to complete, the first step to then get a Skype consultation with a nurse practitioner who will prescribe cannabis. This is one of the services offered by Namaste that states that nurse practitioners in Ontario can prescribe cannabis since 2017 in Canada. The practice is illegal in Quebec.
The College of Physicians of Quebec has also denounced the many companies, including many in Quebec, who offer cannabis prescriptions through Skype consultations.
Promotional items
On-site, the Journal found that products were being offered to guests such as hats, T-shirts, cannabis sprays, rolling papers and ginners, some with the Namaste brand, which would contravene the provincial law on cannabis that will be in effect in October.
The tobacco law, however, prohibits the distribution of smokers' articles and the Ministry of Health is looking into the situation and could issue fines for rolling paper, for example, confirmed Marie-Claude Lacasse, head of business relations. media in the ministry.
Namaste's CEO, Sean Dollinger, acknowledges that he was unaware of the provisions of the Smoker's Distribution Act and pleads the error in good faith.
"We worked so hard. We will not risk losing all this for promotional items, "he said.
The Quebec Cannabis Society (SQDC) denounced this promotion.
The Society immediately notified Tilray, one of the six producers who will supply Quebec with cannabis. Tilray had just signed an agreement with Namaste to sell their cannabis on their online platform for people who have a medical cannabis prescription.
"It was unacceptable. We can not have one of our partners associated with such an event while doing business with the SQDC ", responded spokeswoman Linda Bouchard. On a personal note, she also lamented the use of "sexy nurses".
Tilray was quick to respond and ended her deal with Namaste. "We were not aware and we did not approve of Namaste's recent promotional activities," spokeswoman Chrissy Roebuck told the Journal.
The loss of his partner Tilray does not particularly worry the CEO of Namaste. "It's Tilray who loses. We are going to do business with a hundred producers, "he says. Namaste currently has an agreement with a dozen authorized producers to sell their product on its platform as soon as they obtain their sales license from Health Canada.