A former senior Liberal party staffer is joining Canopy Growth to lobby the Canadian government on cannabis drinks regulations, according to iPolitics.
(On an unrelated – but interesting – note, iPolitics was co-founded by a co-founder of a different large cannabis company. Know who?)
Strange brew
Former director of caucus services and operations at the Liberal Research Bureau Julie DeWolfe has joined GT & Company Executive Advisors. For Canopy, she’ll be focused on a small-but-significant detail of the Schedule 3 of the Cannabis Act that limits the number of cannabis drinks consumers can buy at a time.
Currently, consumers can buy up to 30 grams of cannabis, but because drinks — which are limited to containing just 10 mg of THC per can — weigh significantly more than cannabis flower, a single drink can be the equivalent of more than five grams of cannabis. This means consumers can only buy a few before they reach their limit.
Low sales dog drinks
The strange way the Cannabis Act measures THC equivalencies across various products could be part of the reason why sales of cannabis infused drinks (which are genuinely innovative and delicious!) aren’t selling.
The latest numbers in the Ontario Cannabis Store’s annual report show they hold just 2% of the cannabis market, or about $12.8 million in sales in the province. Flower is still the most popular product, holding 59% of the market.
Brighter days ahead?
The lobbying effort is a push that won’t just benefit the Constellation Brands-backed company. Beyond the Deep Spaces and Houseplant Grapefruits made by Canopy, there are plenty of other infused bevvys on offer, from yuzu and vanilla flavoured juices to watermelon soda to honey and ginger iced teas.
Here’s to a more reasonable Cannabis Act, and to making it easier for buyers to stock their fridge with them.
