Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — The U.S. health regulator approved GW Pharmaceuticals’ epilepsy treatment on Monday, making it the first cannabis-based drug to win approval in the country and opening floodgates for more research into the medicinal properties of cannabis. The drug’s approval permits its use in patients aged two years and older with Dravet Syndrome (DS) and […] Read more
U.S. approves marijuana-derived drug for epilepsy
Senate approves recreational use of marijuana
Reading Time: < 1 minute Toronto | Reuters — Canada’s upper house of Parliament on Tuesday approved a revised bill to legalize recreational marijuana, setting the stage for the country to become the first Group of Seven nation to legalize cannabis. The Senate voted 52-29 in favour of the revised bill from the House of Commons, paving the way for […] Read more
Aurora to buy Ontario’s MedReleaf in biggest-ever pot deal
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Aurora Cannabis will buy rival MedReleaf Corp. for $3.2 billion in the biggest deal yet to unify major Canadian pot growers, as the country moves toward legalizing marijuana for recreational use. The deal announced Monday is the latest in a wave of mergers in the industry as marijuana producers — emboldened by pot […] Read more
Second Cup to set up cannabis lounges in West
Reading Time: 3 minutes Updated, April 13 — Canada’s No. 2 specialty coffeehouse chain has a partnership deal in place to convert some of its outlets in Western Canada to recreational cannabis shops and lounges. Second Cup on Thursday announced a “strategic alliance” with National Access Cannabis Corp. (NAC) to roll out a network of NAC-branded recreational cannabis dispensaries, […] Read more
Canada prepares for legal pot with new license class, labels
Reading Time: < 1 minute Toronto | Reuters –– Canada’s health regulator on Monday set out thresholds for a new class of cannabis cultivation and processing licenses, and outlined strict requirements for the packaging and labeling of recreational marijuana ahead of its legalization this year. The proposals were published in a document released by Health Canada, taking into account feedback […] Read more
Hemp area may stall in 2018
Area saw a big jump last year, but growers are facing more competition from China and Eastern Europe
Reading Time: 6 minutes Canadian commercial hemp production saw a big jump in 2017. Health Canada, the federal agency which oversees licensing, reports almost 140,000 acres were planted with industrial hemp, an 80 per cent increase from 75,000 acres in 2016. Kim Shukla, executive director of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance, says the increase reflects the growth since hemp […] Read more
Pot firm Aurora’s CanniMed deal gets regulatory nod
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Canada’s No. 2 marijuana producer Aurora Cannabis on Wednesday received final regulatory approval for the purchase of smaller rival CanniMed Therapeutics, which would make it the world’s most valuable weed producer. The approval of the $1.1 billion deal from the Competition Bureau follows months of tensions between the companies and comes at a […] Read more
Recreational marijuana sales in Canada face fresh delays
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — The sale of legalized recreational marijuana in Canada, which has already been pushed back once beyond the planned July start date, is set to be delayed even further, government officials said Thursday. The ruling Liberals are sparring with the upper Senate chamber, where a draft law is currently under review. Critics […] Read more
Weed firms again urged to disclose U.S. risks
Reading Time: 2 minutes Toronto | Reuters — Canadian regulators on Thursday reiterated their call for listed cannabis producers with U.S. businesses to clearly disclose risks of operating there, and warned of potential punishment if U.S. federal anti-marijuana laws are more strictly enforced. The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) staff notice said stricter U.S. enforcement could result in “material consequences […] Read more
Ontario pot firm Aphria selling U.S. stake
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Ontario marijuana company Aphria said on Friday it agreed to sell its minority stake in U.S.-based Copperstate Farms to Liberty Health Sciences for $20 million. Boards of Aphria and Liberty have unanimously approved the deal, which is expected to close in the second quarter. Aphria has been looking to hive off its business […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
