Canada’s THC-infused beverage market is about to get more crowded.

Jones Soda, the beloved soft drink company known for its quirky flavors, said on Tuesday that the arm of its cannabis business, Mary Jones, “has been approved to operate in Ontario, Canada, with additional provinces to follow.” 

“Starting with their THC-infused beverages, the products are currently slated for Ontario availability in Q1 24,” the company said in a press release.

Jones is eyeing an additional expansion into other cannabis categories within the Canadian market in collaboration with Tilray Brands, the Canadian cannabis company. The company said in the press release that Tilray handles its manufacturing and distribution in Canada.

“Jones was originally founded in Vancouver, BC. Canada and Tilray are a natural fit for our first international expansion for Mary Jones following the incredible success we’ve had in our U.S. markets,” David Knight, CEO of Jones Soda, said in a statement on Tuesday. “Canada’s recreational cannabis sales increased $466.1M CAD in July, up 1.9 % from June this year. We’re looking forward to bringing Mary Jones to Canada’s THC retailers and consumers.”

Blair MacNeil, President of Tilray Canada, said that the company is “excited to partner with Mary Jones and to produce their one of a kind beverages at our state-of-the-art London, Ontario facility.” 

“The Mary Jones brand has seen enormous success in the United States and we look forward to being a part of their rapid growth in Canada,” MacNeil said. 

Jones will “launch in Ontario with its 10MG THC-sodas in a variety of Famous Jones flavors, including Berry Lemonade, Boot Rear (Root Beer) And Col.Ahhhhh (Cola), uniquely labeled for Canadian cannabis packaging and naming requirements,” the press release said. 

“The sodas use the same pure cane sugar recipe as mainline Jones, adapted for cannabis. Cannabis consumers in Canada can enjoy Mary Jones THC-infused sodas alone, mixed in craft cocktails, floats and much more,” the press release continued. “Mary Jones is also exploring future expansion into other cannabis categories in the Canadian market, bringing the beverage flavors into other product formats.”

The cannabis firm Green Hedge “will support sales and field marketing in Canada for Mary Jones,” according to the press release.

“Infused Beverages are growing at a rapid pace in Canada and around the world, including an increasing number of consumers who are shifting to it over alcohol,” said Andrew von Teichman, CEO of Green Hedge. “It creates a highly lucrative opportunity specifically for Mary Jones craft sodas and syrups. Cannabis consumers in Canada are going to love Mary Jones!”

For Tilray, Tuesday’s announcement marks another significant development within its beverage portfolio. Last year, Tilray acquired eight beer and beverage brands in a deal with Anheuser-Busch. 

Tilray CEO and chairman Irwin D. Simon said at the time that the deal with Anheuser-Busch “both solidifies our national leadership position and share in the U.S. craft brewing market and marks a major step forward in our diversification strategy.” 

“We are excited to work with the teams behind these iconic brands that command great consumer loyalty and have a history of delivering strong award-winning products with tremendous growth opportunities. Tilray is fully committed to invest in and champion the future of the U.S. craft beer industry by fueling new innovation that excites and further accelerates the growth of its consumer base,” Simon said in a statement.

The deal gave Tilray a number of notable brands, including Shock Top, Breckenridge Brewery and Blue Point Brewing Company. It also included 10 Barrel Brewing Company, Redhook Brewery, Widmer Brothers Brewing, Square Mile Cider Company, and HiBall Energy.

In his statement at the time, Simon said the move gave Tilray “national distribution to coveted markets across the U.S. and internationally.” 

“In a matter of three years, Tilray has solidified its leadership position in the craft beer industry, and we fully intend to be that change agent that reinvigorates the sector. Upon federal cannabis legalization, we expect to leverage our leadership position, wide distribution network and portfolio of beloved beverage and wellness brands to include THC-based products and maximize all commercial opportunities,” Simon said.

In 2020, Tilray engineered a similar deal, acquiring craft beer company Montauk Brewing.

“Tilray Brands continues to strengthen our U.S. footprint and operations through investments in and growing our portfolio of leading lifestyle CPG brands that resonate powerfully with consumers,” Simon said at the time.

“Montauk Brewing is an iconic brand with leading market share and distribution in the northeast. Tilray Brands intends to leverage SweetWater’s existing nationwide infrastructure and Montauk Brewing’s northeast influence to significantly expand our distribution network and drive profitable growth in our beverage-alcohol segment. This distribution network is part of Tilray’s strategy to leverage our growing portfolio of U.S. CPG brands and ultimately to launch THC-based product adjacencies upon federal legalization in the U.S.”

The post Mary Jones Cannabis Bringing Its Soda, Edibles to Canada appeared first on High Times.

The post Mary Jones Cannabis Bringing Its Soda, Edibles to Canada appeared first on Paradise Found.

Canadian cannabis advocates are calling on the federal government to relax strict limits on the potency of cannabis edibles with a petition seeking a tenfold increase in maximum permitted THC levels. 

Canada legalized cannabis through an act of Parliament in 2018, and retail sales of cannabis extracts and edibles were authorized for licensed operators one year later. Regulations on edibles set strict potency limits, however, with a cap of 10 milligrams of THC per product. In contrast, California, the largest regulated market in the United States, limits THC to 100 milligrams per package, with a per-serving cap of 10 milligrams.

Last year, an Independent Expert Panel began a mandated review of Canada’s cannabis regulations. Advocates for the regulated industry see the review as an opportunity to push lawmakers to increase the THC limit on edibles, launching a petition last week calling on the federal government to increase the limit to 100 milligrams per package.

Jennawae Cavion, the executive director of the Canadian chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML Canada) told the National Post that regulations that strictly limit the potency of edibles make it difficult for licensed businesses to compete with illicit operators.

“It’s driving the market to the unregulated market, which (licensed) cannabis retailers cannot compete with,” Cavion said.

Sam Gerges, the owner of the licensed retailer Mary Jane’s Cannabis, agreed that the THC limit on edibles hinders the regulated market from competing with unlicensed operators.

“No one who buys 100 to 1,000 mg edibles on the streets is going to buy edibles from legal retailers,” he said. “That’s like selling non-alcoholic vodka and saying it’s the real deal.”

The authors of the petition note that a government agency charged with maintaining a competitive business environment and Ontario’s sole authorized cannabis distributor have called for an increase in the THC limit for weed edibles.

“Both the Canada Competition Bureau and the Ontario Cannabis Store have called upon Health Canada to increase THC limits,” the petition reads. “The Competition Bureau has stated that ‘restricting THC levels may not be necessary to achieve the government’s objectives,’ while the Ontario Cannabis Store has emphasized the need to ‘revisit the current THC limits.’ These endorsements from reputable organizations highlight the importance of reconsidering the current restrictions.”

Report On Legalization Released Last Month

The Independent Expert Panel began its work in 2022 and issued its first report last month. Many of those interviewed for the report recommended against making “large-scale changes” to regulations so soon after they took effect, with some even suggesting that the minimum age for purchasing and using cannabis should be increased to 21 from the current 18. 

“Many public health stakeholders and some provincial and territorial government officials focused on reinforcing the value of existing regulatory controls, such as the THC quantity for edible cannabis products and promotion restrictions, to reduce harms,” the report reads.

The review panel’s report also noted that 10 milligrams was established as a “reasonable upper-limit” to avoid overconsumption by inexperienced consumers and that more experienced users tend to prefer smoking or vaping cannabis over edibles. The report also noted that some disputed the notion that the THC cap on edibles is driving consumers to the unregulated market.

“Some researchers suggested that it is rare that higher dose edibles drive consumers to purchase illicit cannabis, as consumers often cite convenience, price and quality as reasons for purchasing illicit products,” the report notes.

Cavion disagreed, saying that low-potency edibles are indeed a factor driving consumers to illicit operators. She also noted the regulations are inconvenient and promote unhealthy eating.

“The other part of it is the amount of sugar you have to consume to get your regular dose,” she said. “I shouldn’t have to eat 10 fun-sized chocolate bars when I can just have a few squares of one chocolate bar — if it has to be chocolate at all.”

Michael DeVillaer, an assistant professor at McMaster University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neuroscience, argued against hiking Canada’s THC limit on cannabis edibles.

“Given the potential public health risks, I would place the onus on the petitioners to provide market research that shows there is truly high consumer demand for higher THC product,” said DeVillaer, who is the author of a book on Canada’s legalization of cannabis. “But even if there is such demand, that does not mean we should imperil public health protection for the industry’s interests in market expansion.”

“If the cannabis industry and government are sincere about wanting to compete with the unlicensed trade, they need to clean up the licensed one which is fraught with regulatory violations, including poor product integrity which includes use of unauthorized pesticides, mold, microbial and chemical contaminants, incorrect labeling, and misrepresented products,” DeVillaer added. “These are the historical liabilities of the unlicensed trade that the licensed trade was supposed to fix.”

Cavion countered that strictly regulating cannabis industries will encourage consumers to seek the products they like from unlicensed businesses.

“If we want legalization to be a success, we can’t be limiting the creativity of licensed producers,” she said. “This isn’t an institutional product — it’s recreational cannabis, it’s literally meant for us to have fun.”

Canada’s House of Commons began accepting signatures for the petition to increase the THC limit for cannabis edibles on November 8. The signature collection is scheduled to end on March 7, 2024, at 11:31 a.m. EDT.

The post Petition Calls For Canadian Regulators To Allow More Potent Edibles appeared first on High Times.

The post Petition Calls For Canadian Regulators To Allow More Potent Edibles appeared first on Paradise Found.

The results of a recent study published in JAMA Network Open claim to have found an association between cannabis legalization and an increase in traffic accidents.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Ottawa and looked at emergency room visits in Ontario, Canada over a 13-year period (Jan 2010-Dec 2021 which is actually 12 years but they say 13 in the study so what do I know), at the end of which they denoted a 475.3% increase in traffic accidents that resulted in an emergency room visit in which the driver had cannabis in their system at the time of the accident.

“This cross-sectional study found large increases in cannabis involvement in ED visits for traffic injury over time, which may have accelerated following nonmedical cannabis commercialization,” the conclusion of the study said. “Although the frequency of visits was rare, they may reflect broader changes in cannabis-impaired driving. Greater prevention efforts, including targeted education and policy measures, in regions with legal cannabis are indicated.”

At first glance, 475.3% sounds like a big number and suffice it to say many of the anti-cannabis media outlets who repackaged that number for a scary-sounding headline are counting on their readership to look no further and take their word for it that cannabis legalization and car crashes must be associated. I’m a journalist, not a scientist, but I am able to point out some facts about the study that might make that big number seem a bit less scary.

For one thing the study was only conducted in Ontario, Canada. In terms of sample size, that is one city in a country with very specific cannabis laws so to lay the blanket term “legalization” over one very specific set of laws isn’t totally accurate. The study even says so in the introduction:

“Another study also found no increase in total traffic injury hospitalizations in Canada over 2.5 years following legalization. Critically, the slow rollout of the cannabis retail market in Canada and the overlap of the legalization period with the COVID-19 pandemic greatly reduces the ability of these studies to evaluate the impacts of legalization,” the study said.

It’s also important to understand that the total number of injury-causing traffic accidents involving cannabis in the 13-year period came to a grand total of 426 out of 947,604. That number as a percentage is .04%, which is even smaller when compared to the total number of traffic accidents without taking emergency room visits into account. It’s hardly insignificant, but it is, arguably, a much less daunting number at first glance than 475.3%.

One key piece of data the study highlighted was that men appear to be more at risk than women of being involved in such accidents where cannabis intoxication was considered a factor. This stands to reason as a 2016 study by the National Institute of Health found men to use cannabis far more often than women and in greater amounts per use.

“Of the 418 individuals with documented cannabis involvement, 330 (78.9%) were male, 109 (25.6%) were aged 16 to 21 years (mean [SD] age at visit, 30.6 [12.0] years), and 113 (27.0%) had an ED visit or hospitalization for substance use in the 2 years before their traffic injury ED visit,” the study said.

The last and arguably most important question one must ask when dissecting the results of a study is “who paid for this?” Studies cost money, and it goes without saying that people who have money often try to use that money to influence the results of otherwise scientifically sound methods of observation. This is America after all (Or Canada, in this case). However, this study was funded in its entirety by grants from the Canadian Institute of Health and the University of Ottawa, meaning there does not appear to be any private money attempting to sway these results.

Regardless of my nitpicking, this study did point out something important: there is a small but statistically significant chance that a link between cannabis legalization and severe traffic accidents exists, but more context and study is needed to be sure.

“The findings of this repeated cross-sectional study suggest that cannabis-involved severe traffic injuries have increased over time. Legalization of nonmedical cannabis with widespread retail access and increased cannabis product variety may have further increased these visits despite laws specifically aimed at deterring cannabis-impaired driving,” the study said. “Younger adults and males appear to be at particularly increased risk of cannabis-involved traffic injuries. There is a potential need for greater interventions, including education on cannabis-impaired driving, enforcement activities, and policies to regulate access to commercial retail markets.”

The post Canadian Study Links Cannabis Legalization to an Increase in Car Accidents appeared first on High Times.

The post Canadian Study Links Cannabis Legalization to an Increase in Car Accidents appeared first on Paradise Found.

Another location of a psilocybin mushroom dispensary chain in Canada was raided by police, about a month after its earlier location was raided. Psilocybin advocates in Canada remain undeterred however, with no plans to back down.

CTV News in London reports that on Aug. 17, St. Thomas Police Service (STPS) officers in Ontario in Canada executed a warrant on the FunGuyz (pronounced fungi’s) magic mushroom shop. It was not their first rodeo with law enforcement raids.

STPS released a press release on Aug. 18. “A 39-year-old London resident has been arrested after a swift response from the St. Thomas Police Service (STPS)  regarding community concerns about the open sale of psilocybin, commonly known as magic mushrooms, at a newly opened business in the city.”

The store sold products like psilocybin-infused edibles and microdoses of mushrooms. At other FunGuyz locations, for instance, shrooms were sold in 7-, 14-, or 28-gram bags of dried mushrooms labeled by the strains Golden Teachers, Blue Meanies, African Pyramid, Amazonian, Penis Envy, and so on. Microdose psilocybin options for most of the strains of shrooms are available as well in 50, 100, or 200 micrograms. They also sell psilocybin-infused gummies, chocolate, tea, and other products.

“Our street crimes unit did arrest a 39-year-old London resident with possession of a controlled substance for trafficking purposes,” said STPS Corporate Communications Director Samantha Wakefield. “The individual was an employee of the establishment here.”

STPS officers said neighborhood community members raised concerns, however the police were already aware of the operation.

Local reports indicate that FunGuyz locations have played cat and mouse with law enforcement, frequently reopening for business. It’s the second location in two months to be targeted. Police at the St. Thomas raid identified various strains of mushrooms inside the store and seized 7,150 grams of psilocybin with an estimated street value of $71,504.

The owner, who wished to remain anonymous, told CTV News, “We like charges because we’re just going to do a constitutional challenge with everyone that gets charged.”

FunGuyz vs. Canadian Police

Locations in other provinces also face closure thanks to ongoing law enforcement actions. A FunGuyz location in Montreal, Quebec was raided by police last July.

CTV News reported that several police officers descended on the FunGuyz shop hours after the company opened their first location in the province of Quebec in Montreal’s Sainte-Marie district. The shop was raided during its opening day, so day one of sales was likely not a secret. Four people were arrested, police say, and their investigation into the shroom dispensary is ongoing.

“We’re just getting started and we hope that the word gets out,” Edgar Gorbans told CTV News Windsor. As of July, FunGuyz runs 11 other stores in Ontario, plans to open more in Quebec, and has locations close to Detroit, Michigan.

“We’re dealing with people in active addiction who have very little in the way of impulse control, have very little in their ability to say no,” said Director Don Trepanier. “When we have uncontrolled access to these substances, then it becomes a problem.”

The Transformation of Psilocybin in Canada

Psilocybin is prohibited in Canada under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). The drug has been an illegal controlled substance since 1975. Despite the status of psilocybin, the government concedes that medical properties probably do exist.

Canada’s former health minister used her authority to grant a limited number of legal exemptions for psilocybin, but that was mainly only given to people with terminal illness and treatment-resistant depression.

“There is increasing interest in the potential therapeutic uses of magic mushrooms and of psilocybin, one of the active ingredients in magic mushrooms,” the Government of Canada states. “While clinical trials with psilocybin have shown promising results, at this time, there are no approved therapeutic products containing psilocybin in Canada or elsewhere. Clinical trials are the most appropriate and effective way to advance research with unapproved drugs such as psilocybin while protecting the health and safety of patients.”

The production, sale, and possession of psilocybin remains illegal in Canada. There are over 200 species of psilocybin mushrooms, and officials don’t want people taking the risk into their own hands, given that similar varieties are potentially poisonous.

Store operators, however, often don’t care and commonly open up shop in broad daylight anyways. Advocates in Canada have been pushing the envelope with psilocybin dispensaries operating in the gray area. Canadian advocate Dana Larsen, for instance, opened up an online psilocybin dispensary and storefront locations, four in Vancouver at one point.

Psilocybin mushrooms are being studied for the treatment of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, trauma, alcoholism, irritable bowel syndrome, and other medical conditions. There are efforts to decriminalize psilocybin and other psychedelics in Colorado, Washington, Massachusetts, and cities throughout California. Many people visit the dispensaries to get microdoses to treat various conditions.

The post Shroom Shop Raided in Ontario, Canada appeared first on High Times.

The post Shroom Shop Raided in Ontario, Canada appeared first on Paradise Found.

Officials working on the United States-Canada border late last month seized a massive shipment of marijuana that, at first blush, looked like an 8-year-old’s favorite breakfast.

U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced on Friday that “Ajaypal Dhillon, 22, of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana and importing marijuana into the United States,” and that the charges “carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.”

According to Friday’s announcement, the arrest and bust occurred on July 27 when Customs and Border Protection officers “encountered a semi-trailer operated by Dhillon at the primary inspection point” of the Peace Bridge Port of Entry, a bridge connecting Canada and the U.S. near Buffalo, New York.

Dhillon allegedly claimed that he was simply transporting some frozen foodstuffs.

“Dhillon presented customs documentation indicating a shipment of frozen waffles destined for a grocery store warehouse in Georgia. The shipper of the alleged waffles confirmed that the shipment was fraudulent, and the shipment was put on hold, while Dhillon was referred for a secondary inspection,” the announcement said. “During a physical exam of the cargo, boxes containing approximately 948 kilograms of a green leafy substance [or 2,089 pounds], consistent with that of marijuana, were located. In addition, 50 kilograms of ketamine were also discovered. Investigators identified Dhillon after CBP learned of five prior fraudulent shipments driven by Dhillon into the United States.”

The announcement said that “Dhillon appeared at a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained.”

Recreational cannabis is legal in Canada and in an increasing number of states in the U.S., including New York. 

But that doesn’t mean you should cross the border with weed –– even if it was legally obtained.

The Canada Border Services Agency issued a reminder of that in late June, just ahead of Canada Day and America’s Independence Day.

“Bringing cannabis across the border in any form, including oils containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD), without a permit or exemption authorized by Health Canada is a serious criminal offence subject to arrest and prosecution, despite the legalization of cannabis in Canada. A medical prescription from a doctor does not count as Health Canada authorization,” the agency said in a press release.

But despite those warnings, there are plenty who still try to smuggle.

That was the case of a 60-year-old American man, who was driving with around 400 pounds of cannabis in June when he was unwittingly led to a U.S.-Canada point of entry by his GPS.

“On May 2, 2023, an American driver was following GPS coordinates that were entered improperly. He took a wrong turn and ended up in the border line up at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Rainbow Bridge port of entry in Niagara Falls, Ontario. As the driver had no passport, he was referred for a secondary examination. During the inspection, the CBSA officers discovered 181 kg of cannabis (valued at between $362,000 CAD and $724,000 CAD) and over $600,000 US dollars (worth $816,167 CAD). The CBSA officers arrested the driver and seized the cash and cannabis. The case was then turned over to the RCMP Niagara on the Lake Federal Policing Border Integrity Team (RCMP BI),” the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a press release.

“The RCMP BI Team examined the cash and cannabis. The items were located in various places in the car. The cannabis was vacuum packed and separated into numerous boxes. The cash was also found separated into bundles, and concealed in a safe, a suitcase, and a pelican case (hard-shelled lockable case).”

The post Border Officials Seize 2,000 Pounds of Pot Disguised As Frozen Waffles appeared first on High Times.

The post Border Officials Seize 2,000 Pounds of Pot Disguised As Frozen Waffles appeared first on Paradise Found.

The U.S.-Canada border is the last place you want to wind up in the event that you are driving an illegal shipment of nearly 400 pounds of pot and over half a million dollars.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) released a press release on June 5, announcing that an American driver was arrested after attempting to cross the border with just under 400 pounds of cannabis and over $602,985 in his vehicle, at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing in Niagara Falls, Canada.

Police say the man was trying to follow GPS coordinates, but ended up accidentally driving into the U.S.-Canadian port of entry, Insauga reports.

Andrew Lee Toppenberg, 60, of Tustin, California was driving a large cannabis shipment on May 2. Police say he was following GPS coordinates that were entered incorrectly, causing him to take a wrong turn and he ended up at the border at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Rainbow Bridge port of entry in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Since Toppenberg had no passport, he was sent for the dreaded secondary examination. During the inspection, the CBSA officers discovered a huge amount of pot, valued at between C$362,000 and C$724,000, and over $600,000 USD dollars (C$816,167). It doesn’t look good for the driver. The CBSA officers promptly arrested the driver and seized the cash and cannabis. His case was then turned over to the RCMP Niagara on the Lake Federal Policing Border Integrity Team (RCMP BI).

“The safety and security of Canadians is our government’s top priority,” said The Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety. This seizure demonstrates the crucial role that the CBSA and the RCMP play in stopping illicit contraband from entering our communities. Outstanding work by both agencies.”

Specifically, Toppenberg is charged with possession of cannabis for the purpose of distribution contrary to s.9(2) of the Cannabis Act; importing 181 kg (399 lbs) of cannabis, contrary to s.11(1) of the Cannabis Act; and possession of proceeds of property over five thousand dollars knowing that all or part of the proceeds of property was obtained by a crime in the United States of America contrary to s.354(1)(b) of the Criminal Code.

The CBSA and RCMP applauded the seizure.

“The CBSA and the RCMP continue to get positive results from our collaboration to protect Canada’s borders,” said Superintendent Rae Bolsterli, RCMP O Division, OIC Border Integrity. This seizure of cash and contraband is one more example of how our combined services are keeping Ontario citizens safe from criminal activities.”

“The CBSA is extremely proud of the diligence shown by our officers,” Jeff Walters, Director, Niagara District Operations, Canada Border Services Agency. “Their hard work has a profound impact on continually ensuring public safety at our borders.”

If Toppenberg was busted in the U.S. punishments for this amount, the minimum time would be no less than five years in prison. If death or serious bodily injury was a factor, no less than 20 years behind bars.

Toppenberg appeared before a Justice on May 5, 2023 at the Robert S.K Welch Court in St. Catharines, Ontario and was remanded in custody, where he remains. His next court date has not been scheduled. To learn more about the latest contraband statistics, visit Canada Border Services Agency seizures.

The post GPS Fail Sends Driver With Almost 400 Pounds of Pot to U.S.-Canada Border appeared first on High Times.

The post GPS Fail Sends Driver With Almost 400 Pounds of Pot to U.S.-Canada Border appeared first on Paradise Found.

People living in a conservative state with one of the worst state policies on cannabis in the country are crossing the border to illegally obtain cannabis in Oregon. Residents of Boise, Idaho, where cannabis is illegal, simply have to drive less than an hour to Ontario, Oregon to buy pot and officials aren’t happy.

The situation is proving something in real-time: that prohibition still doesn’t work. NPR reports that the situation has reached a “flashpoint” and it adds to the pile of reasons why eastern Oregonians aren’t accepting the changes that they’re seeing in their state.

Steven Meland opened Hotbox Farms in Ontario shortly after the city approved adult-use cannabis sales. “The politicians have been able to have this scenario where they say that they don’t have legal cannabis,” Meland told NPR. “But in all actuality we all know there’s legal cannabis in Boise,” he said, hinting that it’s obvious where his customers come from.

Hotbox Farms hardly serves Ontario’s 11,600 residents when there are over 700,000 in the Boise area closeby. “There [are] over a million people within a hundred mile radius of the store,” Meland added. “Of course they are serving a broader market.”

Politico explored the cannabis border phenomenon in Ontario in 2021. Ontario was once the home of the invention of tater tots, but is now known as cannabis central. Residents of the Boise area simply have nowhere else to go to buy pot. Politico profiled Brandon St. Germain of Cannabis & Glass, who reported a similar situation in which most customers come from out of state.

Don’t expect anything to change in Idaho, any time soon. Idaho is one of only two states in the country that bans all forms of cannabis. NORML gives Idaho Governor Brad Little an “F grade” as he opposes even medical-only cannabis bills—in disagreement with 88% of Americans—and industrial hemp bills. Meanwhile things have become so divisive in eastern Oregon that people there want to secede from the state.

The Urban-Rural Divide in Idaho and Oregon

Cannabis laws in the area are shaped by local culture. There’s quite a culture shock between the dyed-in-the-wool conservative culture of most areas of Idaho versus the culture of central Boise, where nearly half of residents voted Democrat. 

Things are just as divisive comparing eastern Oregon versus the coast. Eastern Oregon, home of Ontario, is home to deeply embedded rural culture with a proven track record. A group of people on the rural eastern side Oregon attempted to petition to secede from the fiercely liberal state and join conservative Idaho.

Things haven’t slowed down for cannabis, however. According to NPR, Ontario now sells more cannabis per capita than any other city in Oregon, employing about 600 people for the tiny town.  

Eastern Idaho leaders are trying to move the border of Idaho to secede from the state of Oregon, and pot is one of the reasons for pushing to do so.

“We have a little bit of a drug problem right on the side of our border,” said Rep. Barbara Ehardt, (R-Idaho Falls) at a recent hearing over House Joint Memorial No 1., a bill that would authorize Idaho to begin discussion with Oregon lawmakers about moving the border.

“A lot of Idahoans are going there [Ontario] and getting drugs, Ehardt said, “and that will be pushed hundreds of miles away.”

People in Idaho who travel to another state to buy cannabis for medical purposes are essentially cannabis refugees.

The post Idaho Residents Flood Oregon Border Town to Get Weed appeared first on High Times.

The post Idaho Residents Flood Oregon Border Town to Get Weed appeared first on Paradise Found.

Dr. Max Jones and Dr. Gale Bozzo, two professors at UG’s Ontario Agricultural College (Department of Plant Agriculture), received a Health Canada “dealer’s license” on Oct. 25. The license permits the cultivation of psilocybin mushrooms, and is one of the first universities in Canada to be permitted to do so.

“We are very excited about this approval as it will allow us to study these psychedelic mushrooms to better understand their biology and genetics, examine what other functional compounds they might contain, and provide well-characterized and chemically consistent material for preclinical and potentially clinical evaluation,” Jones said. He previously received a license to study cannabis back in November 2018 as well. 

According to Jones, there are more than 200 species of mushrooms that can produce psilocybin. “Those species aren’t that closely related; they’re diverse,” Jones said in a press release. “So that makes scientists like me wonder: what else are these mushrooms producing? If you have 200 species producing a compound that affects the human brain, it’s likely they are producing other interesting compounds, too.”

Psilocybin therapy has become a popular treatment for conditions such as depression, addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. According to Dr. Melissa Perreault, Professor in Ontario Veterinary College’s Department of Biomedical Sciences and another researchers involved with the study, there’s a specific function that they’re hoping to examine. “There are many already working with psilocybin, but we’re interested in the potential biological activity of some of the other compounds in these mushrooms and whether they have any therapeutic value alone or in combination with psilocybin,” Perreault said.

Perreault’s experience has previously involved studies of the molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with medical conditions like depression or autism spectrum disorders. Her plan is to examine the signaling pathways that psilocybin might affect. “If there is any potential therapeutic value in these compounds, we would then bring them into some of the models I work with, such as those used to study specific aspects of depression or autism, to examine their therapeutic effects,” Perreault said.

In conclusion, Jones said that he believes increased access to mushrooms will allow more studies to be conducted. “There is a real need for a public supply of these mushrooms,” Jones said. We aim to create a supply of mushrooms to be used for preclinical and perhaps clinical trials in which the genetics and cultivation methodologies will be fully disclosed to researchers and the public.”

The press release also notes that the researchers plan to develop a synthetic mushroom growing method to make it easily reproduced. Typically, mushrooms are grown on grains or manure.

Psilocybin mushrooms are continuing to grow with interest among the medical community. Earlier this year in January, one organization presented evidence of mushroom’s therapeutic qualities and announced its intention to have the substance rescheduled in the United Nations 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances Act. In August, a study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry showed how psilocybin has the potential to treat alcohol addiction. In mid-September, the University of Copenhagen began examining the effects of psilocybin to treat obesity. Just last week, Johns Hopkins University announced a study to analyze how psilocybin can help patients quit smoking. The substance has even become the muse for numerous high-profile musicians, such as Björk, Ellie Goulding, Kid Cudi, and Lil Nas X.

The state of Oregon is planning on finalizing its rules to regulate psilocybin by December 2022, while a few other states are presenting psilocybin allowances on the November ballot.

The post Canadian University Granted License To Study Psilocybin Mushrooms appeared first on High Times.

The post Canadian University Granted License To Study Psilocybin Mushrooms appeared first on Paradise Found.

Ontario’s only wholesaler and online retailer of legal cannabis is unable to process orders or make deliveries to weed shops and consumers after one of its technology partners was hit by a cyberattack. The Ontario Cannabis Store announced the shutdown on Monday following the August 5 cyberattack on the parent company of its third-party distribution center, Domain Logistics.

Domain Logistics did not immediately respond to requests from reporters for more information on the cyberattack. The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) said it is working with Domain Logistics and independent cyber-security experts to determine the extent of the breach, adding that there is no evidence that its computer systems were targeted or that customer data has been compromised.

“However, out of an abundance of caution to protect OCS and its customers, the decision was made to shut down Domain Logistics’ operations until a full forensic investigation could be completed,” the OCS said in a statement.

Cyberattack Shuts Down Ontario’s Only Cannabis Wholesaler

The OCS is Ontario’s only online retailer of regulated cannabis and the sole wholesaler for the province’s more than 1,300 licensed cannabis shops. The outage of the OCS online sales platform is a critical challenge for the retailers, who rely on the wholesaler to keep their shops stocked with licensed cannabis products. Elisa Keay of K’s Pot Shop in Toronto noted that retailers have no other supplier to turn to for merchandise for their store shelves.

“When you’re my only wholesaler and you’ve got a firm grasp on who can get delivery and when we can get delivery, it leaves us zero options,” Keay said. “We’re totally at their mercy.”

A letter to cannabis retailers from the OCS obtained by The Canadian Press said “as a goodwill gesture,” the OCS will waive retailer delivery fees until Sept. 30 and a $500 processing fee for one emergency order per store between Sept. 1 and March 31, 2023.” But many cannabis shop owners believe the fee waivers are not adequate compensation for the losses they are experiencing during the outage.

Keay said that if stores do not have the products consumers are looking for, they are likely to shop elsewhere. In Ontario’s crowded cannabis market, losing customers to rival licensed retailers or the illicit market is not sustainable.

“There’s no sort of compensation that can fix damaging someone’s business,” said Keay, adding that the outage is causing serious disruption to the business’s supply chain logistics. “I don’t like to order massive quantities of any one thing because I rotate a lot of things through, so when I get disrupted, it means that the shelves are going to be bare,” said Keay.

Cameron Brown, vice president of The Retail Cannabis Council of Ontario, said that the pause in deliveries caused by the Domain Logistics cyberattack could lead to a “significant shortage of cannabis in Ontario” if it continues through the week.

“The next worry for a lot of retailers is when their next inventory shipment is going to come … to get through not only this week but another big weekend in August—one of the busiest times so far in cannabis,” said Brown.

Without fresh product deliveries, Keay is afraid that low inventory levels will soon impact the shop’s ability to satisfy its patrons.

“It means that some customers are going to come in, shake their head, upset they’re not getting what they want and they’re going to go somewhere else because they don’t want to hear that it’s not my fault … and there was a cyberattack,” Keay said.

High Tide Inc., a Canadian cannabis corporation with an international reach, is reallocating inventory in some of its lower-volume Canna Cabana retail shops to busier stores because of the uncertainty surrounding cannabis product deliveries, according to an email to reporters from Omar Khan, the company’s vice-president of corporate and public affairs.

But Sean Kady, co-owner of Toronto cannabis retailer Cosmic Charlies, said that moving product from store to store is not an option for retailers with only one location. Additionally, independent shops frequently do not keep large quantities of product on hand, preferring instead to place smaller orders for their merchandise.

“They’re on a more tight, fixed budget, so from week to week, we can only spend so much and if you’re not getting that product that you need, what are you supposed to do and how are you supposed to pay the rent?” he said.

Kady said that his store was nearly “overstocked” on Tuesday, but added that he has heard of business owners who are “freaking out and pulling their hair out” because of their already shrinking supply of cannabis products.

The post Cyberattack Leaves Ontario Cannabis Store Unable to Fill Orders appeared first on High Times.

The post Cyberattack Leaves Ontario Cannabis Store Unable to Fill Orders appeared first on Paradise Found.

A massive leak of data associated with government-run cannabis retail stores in Ontario, Canada put retailers in a tailspin. Consumer data, however, is not part of the equation, and wasn’t exposed during the data breach.

The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS), a government-run agency overseeing the distribution of cannabis from licensed producers to retailers, reported that some of its sales data was “misappropriated.”

An OCS letter sent to retailers on May 10 and quickly picked up by The Canadian Press warned that confidential sales data was being circulated throughout the industry.

“This data was not disclosed by the OCS, nor have we provided any permission or consent to distribute or use this data outside of our organization,” reads the letter, signed by Janet Ihm, vice-president of wholesale partnerships and customer care at OCS. “The data was misappropriated, disclosed, and distributed unlawfully. As a result, we trust you will refrain from sharing or using this stolen data in any way.”

Over 1,200 retail stores in Ontario have been affected. Retail cannabis stores in Ontario rose to 1,333 by a recent count, up from 1,115 in September.

Three anonymous sources say that store names, license numbers, and data showing whether a store is independently owned, run by a corporation, or by a franchisee was also leaked. The matter is being investigated by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

MJBizDaily confirmed with the OPP that the breach is being considered “a criminal matter.” The data was also distributed unlawfully, according to authorities.

Reportedly the data contained ranked sales info of every cannabis store in Ontario. And given that the data also showed kilograms sold during the month, kilograms sold per day, total units sold, total inventory—it could put retailers at risk.

The data could end up in the wrong hands or for the wrong reasons, such as rival retail stores. The data “provides a lot of really competitive insight into who’s doing what, who’s moving what, which retailers are selling what,” Deepak Anand, founder of cannabis company Materia, told The Canadian Press. “That certainly could be a leg up and give a leg up to competition within the industry that’s looking to get ahead of the next person.”

This type of incident has happened before in the area.

In 2018, the OCS revealed that data for 4,500 of its customers was part of a Canada Post data breach. The 2018 breach was found to be the result of someone accessing data via a Canada Post tracking tool. The data included names of people who purchased pot deliveries, OCS reference numbers as well as postal codes.

Meanwhile, residents are concerned about the rise in competition. Some areas are overrun with cannabis stores, such as Toronto’s Queen Street West. That eventually led the Toronto City Council to issue a moratorium on new cannabis store licenses. The moratorium would run for a year or until a provincial bill is put forth, allowing local communities to have a voice in the matter.

It’s concentrated areas of cannabis retail like Queen Street West, where competition is the most fierce, that would appear to be more vulnerable amid the data leak.

Lisa Campbell, chief executive at cannabis marketing company Mercari Agency, told The Canadian Press that it could be a “death sentence” for some of the businesses who are seeking to be acquired.

Cannabis retail businesses in Ontario face stiff competition already, so underperforming stores could suffer if their data is revealed.

The post ‘Criminal’ Data Breach Affects Over 1,200 Cannabis Stores in Ontario appeared first on High Times.

The post ‘Criminal’ Data Breach Affects Over 1,200 Cannabis Stores in Ontario appeared first on Paradise Found.