This week, Pure Sunfarms complained to Health Canada that one of their competitors was fudging the THC content on their labels. That competitor was none other than the 800 pound cannabis gorilla Canopy Growth. So this was no small thing.
After that formal complaint with Health Canada Pure Sunfarms President and CEO Mandesh Dosanjh took to LinkedIn to dive a little deeper.
Misleading labelling?
Health Canada requires all products to be clearly labelled with cannabinoid content, some companies save money through “static labelling” — printing a range that reflects the potential of what’s inside, he explained. Others, like Pure Sunfarms, print the exact number that came back with each batch.
Some Canopy products, the complaint alleges, are labelled with the mid-point within the potential range. Dosanjh said this approach misleads the customer into thinking the THC content on the label is accurate, rather than an estimation. A bad experience for customers and competitors alike.
Dynamic dialogue
Dosanjh urged consumers and industry reps to weigh in on the issue. “It’s important that we take action or risk losing consumer confidence in all regulated product,” he wrote in his LinkedIn post. “At a time when this industry is doing so much to try to combat the illicit market, why are we pulling back in the shadows?”
What’s next
In an emailed statement, Canopy told BNN Bloomberg that their labels are compliant. Health Canada said they would investigate and take appropriate action if deemed necessary. Well, we’re waiting…
