Feds propose THC limits for cannabis edibles in draft ruleshttps://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/feds-propose-thc-limits-for-cannabis-edibles-in-draft-rules-1.1186611 Health Canada’s proposed regulations on how cannabis edibles and extracts will be sold in Canada were released Thursday, including a hard cap on the amount of THC these products can contain.
In a statement, Health Canada said edibles will be permitted for legal sale in Canada no later than Oct. 17, 2019, exactly one year to the day since recreational cannabis was legally available for sale in the country.
Health Canada stated there will be a cap of 10 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient found in the cannabis plant, per package of edibles. Cannabis extracts, such as vape pens, will be limited to 10 mg of THC per unit and no more than 1,000 mg in a package. Cannabis topicals, such as lotions, will be limited to 1,000 mg of THC per package.
Health Canada said it will release the formal draft regulations for cannabis on Dec. 22. The public consultation period will be open until Feb. 20.
“By establishing a strict regulatory framework for these new cannabis products we are keeping profits away from criminals and organized crime. I encourage all interested Canadians to share their views on the proposed regulations,” said Bill Blair, the minister of border security and organized crime reduction, who is responsible for the rollout of legal cannabis in Canada, in a prepared statement.
Other draft regulations that will be included in the release include strict new manufacturing controls for the production of edible cannabis to prevent contamination, outlawing the production of food and edible cannabis in the same facility, banning certain flavours that are appealing to youth for vaping purposes, and restricting any claims that promote health benefits on topical labels. Edibles and extracts will also be restricted to plain packaging.
Chad Finkelstein, a partner at Dale & Lessmann LLP, stated in a phone interview with BNN Bloomberg that Health Canada’s draft regulations on edible cannabis products fall mainly in line with U.S. states that have legalized and regulated recreational pot.
“This is consistent with what we expected and what we’ve seen in U.S. states,” he said. “Several U.S. states also have the 10 milligram hard cap on products but Health Canada appears to have a more restrictive policy on packaging.”