This episode a couple stories on cannabis in Australia, as their markets mature a bit, a look at the barriers facing cannabis with inter-provincial trade, another traveler caught with a suitcase full of weed, the problem with not being able to advertise cannabis and on Cultivar Corner, brought to you by Up In Smoke, a stop in Summerland and a taste of JBuds, Dilly Bar shatter.
This episode a couple stories on cannabis in Australia, as their markets mature a bit, a look at the barriers facing cannabis with inter-provincial trade, another traveller caught with a suitcase full of weed, the problem with not being able to advertise cannabis and on Cultivar Corner, brought to you by Up In Smoke, a stop in Summerland and a taste of JBuds, Dilly Bar shatter.
00;00;01;22 - 00;00;08;29
Ian
From a studio high above the clouds of the Okanagan Valley. This is the cannabis potcast.
00;00;09;01 - 00;00;14;29
Ian
Exploring the world of Canadian cannabis culture. One toke at a time.
00;00;15;02 - 00;00;19;03
Ian
Now is your host and bud tender, Gary Johnston.
00;00;19;06 - 00;00;37;05
Gary Johnston
This is a pretty good opportunity to say welcome back to the Cannabis potcast. Or maybe this is your very first visit. If so, will use an especially warm welcome for you over the next 30 or 40 minutes or so. We're going to be spending a lot of time discussing a plant that I'm particularly passionate about, and I suspect you might have some interest as well.
00;00;37;07 - 00;01;00;21
Gary Johnston
And that, of course, is cannabis. So welcome along for the ride. Before we get too much further, this podcast is intended for those of legal consumption age in your jurisdiction and is intended purely for entertainment and perhaps educational purposes. You should always consume your cannabis responsibly in episode 195. We're catching a couple of things. In fact, we talked about Australia a couple of times.
00;01;00;23 - 00;01;22;10
Gary Johnston
Australia is changing their cannabis laws. Some of those are growing and changing. We talk about a couple of those pieces. We also talk about the fact that interprovincial barriers in Canada are very restrictive and it would be nice to see those change, especially on the cannabis side of things. I know the story is talking about the double standard for advertising, or the fact that we can't do any advertising for cannabis and uncle to our corner.
00;01;22;14 - 00;01;43;28
Gary Johnston
Brought to you by Up in Smoke. We're trying something from J buds. This is some chatter. This is the Dilly Bar chatter from J buds down in Summerland. That's our treat on Cultivar Corner. All of that and more on episode 195 of the Cannabis potcast.
00;01;44;00 - 00;02;02;03
Gary Johnston
And I can never let us get too far along without saying thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for being a listener. I truly appreciate it. And of course, I also want to thank my supporters, especially my patrons, on Patreon. So thank you to Tony, Rob, Gage, Lloyd, Roger, and Justin. Thank you so much for your support.
00;02;02;07 - 00;02;19;08
Gary Johnston
And a special note to Tony, who still on his worldwide journey. I hope you're having fun, Tony. And I also want to just send a shout out to some people that I know are listening, and I'm always appreciative of their comments. Josh, thank you so much. Josh, you're at Uri. You're a dedicated listener and I truly appreciate your comments on the show.
00;02;19;09 - 00;02;39;11
Gary Johnston
Thank you so much for that. Welcome to Mariah who is now started listening to the podcast. Thank you for joining us, Mariah. Angela. Yeah, I like that too. So I'm having a blast and I hope you're having a blast too. Now let's get onto our first story and we're picking this story up from DragonCon. This is written by Jonathan Hilts.
00;02;39;13 - 00;03;04;22
Gary Johnston
The Canadian recreation cannabis industry is over six years old at this point, which is long enough to determine that this guy has not fallen. With the end of prohibition, the sector has matured, fostered innovation, and even helped normalize cannabis use. After decades of prohibition and negative propaganda. Despite these achievements, little to no progress has been made in the massive restrictions that still exist in advertising, marketing, packaging and retail.
00;03;04;25 - 00;03;25;19
Gary Johnston
This ongoing embargo becomes a further eyesore. We're considering the cannabis advertising freedoms and legal states, or even the alcohol industry here in Canada. The U.S. has colors and designs on the packages. You can just see it all over in the store, said Matt Moore, chair of the cannabis law Group at Talk and Means. Canada, on the other hand, is incredibly restrictive.
00;03;25;21 - 00;03;52;22
Gary Johnston
The default approach is, to paraphrase the Cannabis Act you're not allowed to advertise at all unless you do it in accordance with how we say you allowed. So you start from a position where you can't do anything. This restrictive nature goes beyond advertising and into the retail framework itself. For example, anyone under the age limit is not allowed into a retail location, and in many parts of the country, it's still required for store windows to be opaque, which has been a breeding ground for robberies.
00;03;52;24 - 00;04;13;16
Gary Johnston
On the other hand, alcohol retailers allow accompanying minors, which makes it more convenient and safer for customers who have children with them, and liquor store windows are not secured. The government is aware of the double standard. I think it's impossible to not know that, given how the cannabis industry has been yelling at them for 6 or 7 years about why we can give away free things on the top of a whiskey bottle.
00;04;13;17 - 00;04;35;07
Gary Johnston
But we can't do anything with cannabis, said Moore. The reason changes to these areas have not been made is that government simply has no incentive. Who are the voters that the government will be pandering to in order to change it? It's really just people in the cannabis industry, and that's not a large segment of voters. Despite the cannabis industry weak voting possession, there are people lobbying for change.
00;04;35;09 - 00;04;56;25
Gary Johnston
One such person is Paul McCarthy, president of the Cannabis Council of Canada. He feels that the government is well aware of the issues, and he's persistently ringing the bell, so they don't forget the government of Canada is in the final stages of developing a regulatory package that would see amendments and security, packaging, labeling and a host of other things that licensed producers would like to see changed, he said.
00;04;56;28 - 00;05;22;29
Gary Johnston
This past summer, they conducted a consultation on these proposed changes and we submitted a comment. Much of what we had to say was, please action this as quickly as possible. I have been lobbying Health Canada since October to expedite this package. There's an added wrinkle in request for amendments to these problems. The fact that the Canadian government is in a period of significant instability, this has put a timer on the clock to get it done before the election, as chances are it won't get done after.
00;05;23;01 - 00;05;38;14
Gary Johnston
In early January, on the heels of propagation, I wrote to the Minister of Health and urged him to push these regulatory changes through before we end up in an election, said McCarthy. I don't know if he will get it done, but I can tell you that we're doing everything we can to see them come into force before a writ.
00;05;38;17 - 00;05;55;19
Gary Johnston
Despite the archaic nature of these restrictions, slow improvements have been made, such as the aforementioned frosted window situation, which is clearing up in some provinces. In Alberta, you don't have to have the frosted windows anymore, and that was driven by people getting robbed, said Moore. They go in, lock the door, and no one can see what's going on.
00;05;55;21 - 00;06;14;10
Gary Johnston
It took much of that happening, if not longer, for at least some of the provincial governments to change it. Another glaring burden that still exists is that cannabis products infused beverages had, for example, are still not permitted in the same areas where alcohol consumption is both available and encouraged. Why can't we sell cannabis beverages at events or restaurants?
00;06;14;10 - 00;06;35;24
Gary Johnston
Rented hotel, said Moore. He went on to mention that the government could create a new class of licenses for these establishments, which would basically allow the venue to purchase products from provincial bodies or even retailers. It seems McCarthy agrees these venues should have those rights, and he added some cautious optimism as well. I do foresee a time when that happens, but I don't have any insight as to when that may be.
00;06;36;00 - 00;06;53;17
Gary Johnston
I would add if and when we were able to achieve that, I suspect it would be a bit of a marker that was close to treating cannabis as it should be as restrictive as the Canadian regime currently is in these areas. It's possible that the U.S. is too far in the other direction. Certainly, from a political point of view, they probably are.
00;06;53;17 - 00;07;10;04
Gary Johnston
Is it more their stuff that looks appealing to kids? He added that if you draw a line of distinction between what's appealing to children and what really has nothing to do with that, you'll end up with a balance. The litmus test is if children will find it enticing, ask, does it make it more appealing or more accessible to children?
00;07;10;11 - 00;07;28;20
Gary Johnston
If the answer is no, it passes. What else is going to happen if it's not appealing to children? What's the downside? It's clear to many in the Canadian cannabis industry that it's also time to loosen the restrictions around packaging. The current rules as they stand, or in a complete hindrance to any sort of brand loyalty, or at the very least, brand development.
00;07;28;22 - 00;07;48;25
Gary Johnston
There's no good way to differentiate products because it is prohibited to talk about effects and various other indicators when you go into a store. All you know is who makes it the name. They call it the potency percentages, and if it's an indicator or is a device and more. He went on to say that the customer can go with bud tender recommendations, but those are sometimes based on the products they're required to move.
00;07;48;27 - 00;08;12;15
Gary Johnston
It seems clear that the Canadian cannabis sector to evolve with healthy brand development, advertising and marketing restrictions need to be revised and availability increased. There are other industry examples to choose from, namely booze. Treat it like alcohol. You need to have a license to sell it. Keep the prohibitions on certain types of packaging, but that adults purchase it outside of cannabis stores, at venues where it makes sense.
00;08;12;17 - 00;08;23;25
Gary Johnston
And boy, it will be nice to see some of this stuff come to effect. But with the coming election happening, I'm perhaps less enthusiastic. This is going to happen.
00;08;23;28 - 00;08;28;08
Ian
For the cannabis infused studio in the clouds. This is the cannabis potcast.
00;08;28;11 - 00;08;49;24
Gary Johnston
And this story we were picking up from the outside dossier, and it was written by Matt Bomer. Saskatchewan RCMP seized more than 1,500 pounds of cannabis during a traffic stop near Swift Current. The 1,551 pounds, to be precise, were found in a large cargo van. A man who told investigators he was traveling from British Columbia to Quebec was arrested.
00;08;49;25 - 00;09;12;09
Gary Johnston
John Cooper, 53, of Port Moody, B.C., is charged with possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000 and possession for the purpose of distributing. He is due to appear in court on April 16th. Meanwhile, two people were arrested at Toronto's Pearson Airport after suitcases full of pot destined for London, UK, were discovered, seemingly a common occurrence at Canadian airport.
00;09;12;12 - 00;09;38;28
Gary Johnston
They may have been drug mules. Crystal Lee Paul Cormack, 40, was said to have 21kg of cannabis in her luggage and was charged with export contrary to the Cannabis Act. Chanel Monique Atherton, 32, faces the same charge after 22kg of cannabis was discovered. The total street value of the pot was estimated at $175,000, police said. If you are a victim or believe you have been targeted by a criminal organization to transport cannabis.
00;09;38;28 - 00;10;06;03
Gary Johnston
Report the incident to your local police, said Inspector John McMath, officer in charge of the RCMP's airport detachment. Don't carry luggage for others. Awareness is your best offense. Be suspicious of any offer that sounds too good to be true as you'll be held responsible. And that dream vacation could end up turning into a trip to prison. And that sounds like something you probably want to avoid when you're traveling internationally.
00;10;06;06 - 00;10;38;18
Gary Johnston
A story from Phrack Handcar, written by David Brown about a Canadian cannabis ERP company, grower IQ, who's going to represent Team Canada in an upcoming trade mission to Australia. The program, which will take place from February 16th to 21st, is sponsored by Global Affairs Canada and will include visits to cannabis markets in Sydney and Brisbane. Andrew Wilson, founder and CEO of Grow Right, who says the mission provides an opportunity for the company to further engage with Australia's rapidly evolving cannabis industry and build on its current presence in the market.
00;10;38;20 - 00;11;02;17
Gary Johnston
We're honored to join Team Canada on this important mission, says Wilson. This opportunity underscores our commitment to innovation and collaboration in the global cannabis industry. We look forward to building stronger ties with Australian cannabis businesses and helping them achieve new levels of traceability, compliance and operational excellence. Grower IQ will showcase its AI powered technology to designed to support GMP compliant businesses.
00;11;02;20 - 00;11;35;26
Gary Johnston
The company is also participating in the Australian Medical Cannabis Symposium. Global Affairs Canada is a federal agency with duties that include managing Canada's diplomatic and consular efforts, and promoting the country's international trade. These trade missions allow representatives from different Canadian organizations to gain market exposure and pursue commercial opportunities and partnerships. During the Team Canada trade mission to Australia, Canadian companies will learn about opportunities in various sectors including agrifood and agritech, clean energy, mining and information and communications technologies.
00;11;35;29 - 00;12;10;19
Gary Johnston
Highlighting past program successes, the Canadian government says a 2023 Team Canada trade mission to Japan led to at least 70 new contracts, with an overall value estimated at nearly $30 million. Australia is the world's 13th largest economy. Canada is the ninth, and Australia's medical cannabis industry is closely connected to Canada's. The country legalized medical cannabis in 2016. In 2021, Canadian companies exported nearly five kilograms of cannabis to Australia, and by 2023, that figure was over 34,000kg.
00;12;10;21 - 00;12;16;28
Gary Johnston
So interesting to see that the connection to Australia and Canada is still big. Really pleased to see that that's still happening.
00;12;16;29 - 00;12;28;03
Ian
To see CBD turf being profiled. What's in me? Oh, please explain to me. Go to the cover.
00;12;28;05 - 00;12;32;03
Unknown
Go to the commercial. Yeah. Go to the.
00;12;32;03 - 00;12;36;08
Ian
Corner. Please explain this stuff to me.
00;12;36;11 - 00;12;56;19
Gary Johnston
And now I am happy to say welcome to Cultivar Corner, brought to you by Up in Smoke at 258 West Broadway in Vancouver. And on at It's Up and Smoked some gentlemen today. Now, this may not be a direct delivery exclusive doing today, but it is a tasty treat nonetheless. From the family that is Jay Buds. And we're doing some shatter.
00;12;56;21 - 00;13;17;28
Gary Johnston
It's Jay Bud's Dilly bar. We're sampling today 76.9% THC total. Terps 2.8. And of course, if you were 19 years of age or older and live in BC, you can check it out on the it's up and smoke.com and you want to have it sent to you. Apologies again if you're in a different province or country has a true Canadian, I will say I'm sorry.
00;13;18;00 - 00;13;48;00
Gary Johnston
Who knows, maybe we'll be able to do that someday, but somehow I doubt it. So Jay buds from the folks in the Johnson family. Jay Bud's in Summerland, BC. First of all, let's give you the breakdown on Jay Bud. Jay Bud's craft cannabis is a licensed micro cultivation and processing facility located in Summerland, BC. JBJ is a proud indigenous owned company deeply rooted in our community, passionate about excellence, and committed to values, giving back to our community and supporting indigenous causes.
00;13;48;02 - 00;14;14;09
Gary Johnston
So let's meet the team at Jbuds. Bob Johnson is the proprietor. Former professional engineer Bob now spends his time managing jobs with his family. Proprietor Lisa Johnson on top of numbers and reporting achievements. Lisa likes to play softball and hang in the sun. Sales manager and alternate master grower Dylan Johnson didn't study geoscience at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and manages sales.
Gary Johnston
He also assists his brother in growing premium BC cannabis master grower Noah Johnson, dedicated to growing the finest craft cannabis. Noah enjoys playing sports and has a passion for music. And then CFO and investor. Josh Johnson. Josh is considered an adopted brother, but his ten years experience in finance and business is utilized within the Jbuds family.
So the Johnsons, that's where the J in the Jay Pods comes from. Doing some fine work down in Summerland. And today, as I said, we are doing Dilly Bar chatter. So I'm going to take out a piece of this and break it up, get some on my fingers.
00;14;14;09 - 00;14;39;19
Gary Johnston
So I get some of the aromas as it sits just in the envelope. Don't get a lot of aroma, but as soon as I break one of those up, I'm going to start to get some on my fingers. Then go, oh my goodness sakes! Oh, and there it is. Oh, that is just delightful. I want to just in an inhale that oh okay.
00;14;39;19 - 00;15;03;24
Gary Johnston
So what do we got here. This is Jabba's, the Dilly Bar, and the combo is. Let me get a variation on it. So the only bar shatter is a cross between ice cream cake and cherry cheesecake, also known as flawless Victory. And that explains the smell I'm getting out of my fingers today. The extract boasts a unique combination of terpene, such as limonene.
00;15;03;29 - 00;15;23;20
Gary Johnston
Carry off clean, little and essential, resulting in a creamy, gassy flavor smell. Boy, is that every smell sweet. It's going to be much more sweeter when I get it. Actually, in my Puff Girl proxy that what we're going to be cooking it up in today, I did a little checking to see what kind of temperatures that I should be running this out.
00;15;23;24 - 00;15;43;23
Gary Johnston
And for shatter, the optimum temperature is 450 to 550. And when I'm using my puff call my Puff Girl proxy, that's going to run it into the probably the green range, which is going to be about halfway up there. So we're going to set this up on green. It is on green. We'll get that ready to roll. Now.
00;15;43;25 - 00;16;06;15
Gary Johnston
Oh again the smell the aroma on my fingers from pure. And one of the those out just absolutely wonderful. So I'm going to take a fairly good chunk of that a nice pea sized piece of shatter. And I have to say as well, the shatter is just gorgeous. It's a really nice amber color, very, very obviously finely crafted.
00;16;06;15 - 00;16;15;03
Gary Johnston
And oh my goodness, the aroma that comes off of my fingers after squeezing a bit of that off. I just love this job.
00;16;15;06 - 00;16;15;27
Ian
00;16;15;29 - 00;16;39;21
Gary Johnston
Now, when I was chatting with Matt, about doing some chatter, he actually recommended, this one Matt sent this long. Enjoy these. The Dilly Bar is my fave chapter to sell to people looking to get that type of punch to the face. And that was the reason why I was looking at doing the shatter to get that punch to the face.
00;16;39;24 - 00;17;03;26
Gary Johnston
Really enjoying that. And I'm going to enjoy it even more once I start actually smoking it and getting some of that. So Jay Bond's doing some fantabulous work down in Summerland, and now we're going to see if they can do some fabulous work on my endocannabinoid system. As I search to get some Dilly Bar shattered. Oh, the the aromas coming off of that.
00;17;03;28 - 00;17;35;05
Gary Johnston
I just love having my fingers full of that smell in the air. I absolutely love it. And so what do we got? Terpenes. 2.8 turbo is my total and my dominant terpenes, limonene carry off clean and little low, and I'm ready to go. So this is the first in the puff comb proxy dilly bar chatter from the folks at Jay Bud's.
00;17;35;07 - 00;17;37;26
Gary Johnston
All take a nice swallow of that.
00;17;37;28 - 00;17;38;28
Ian
Oh.
00;17;39;01 - 00;17;59;20
Gary Johnston
And you taste that flawless victory that is coming from this. And this gain was the Cherry Mac. Let me make sure I've got my my details right. So it's a combination of ice cream cake and cherry cheesecake known as Flawless Victory.
00;17;59;22 - 00;18;29;24
Gary Johnston
And I, for one, am looking for that smack in the face. Because I'm not doing the chatter for just a little bit of a high. I want to get blasted. That's my goal. That's generally why I do shatter. I will often actually, as well as take the shatter and put it in my particle proxy. I will also break some of that up and just put it over top of weed and roll it into a joint.
00;18;29;27 - 00;18;48;08
Gary Johnston
That's a really nice way to do shatter as well. I quite enjoyed that. Perhaps you don't have as much complexity or as much control for exactly how you're going to be doing it, but that's not going to stop me.
00;18;48;10 - 00;18;49;19
Ian
Okay.
00;18;49;22 - 00;19;08;16
Gary Johnston
I have still got a little in there. I'm actually going to turn the temperature up. So I started at at what would be the green, moving up to red, which is going to drive it a little hotter. And what I want to see is if I can peel off the rest of that shatter. Oh my goodness.
00;19;08;16 - 00;19;10;15
Ian
Six.
00;19;10;17 - 00;19;17;04
Gary Johnston
I'm not so sure I need it.
00;19;17;07 - 00;19;28;06
Gary Johnston
Oh, yeah. When I run it a little hotter, I'm picking up still some of the concentrate that's inside my proxy.
00;19;28;08 - 00;19;29;15
Ian
00;19;29;18 - 00;19;43;23
Gary Johnston
Take that in. Exhale. Take a taste of it. Get some of the taste of that flawless victory. The combo of the ice cream cake and the cherry cheesecake.
00;19;43;26 - 00;19;51;17
Ian
All my. I love this sea.
00;19;51;20 - 00;20;14;02
Gary Johnston
Oh and this is. And what was the line for me again. It's the the shatter to sell to people looking to get that type of punch to the face. And I feel I've been punched in the face, which reminds me of falling on my cement floor a couple of weeks ago. That's not what I meant when I say fall on your face.
00;20;14;05 - 00;20;43;01
Gary Johnston
Oh, I think you can probably tell as well I am buzzin. I am just. It's hard to control my urges here. I'm going to bring it up. One more temperature. No, not same temperature. I'm just going to turn it on one more time. And I'm going to see if I can complete that. Oh my goodness this this was really enjoyable.
00;20;43;03 - 00;20;49;00
Gary Johnston
Okay I'm getting the last couple of tokes off of this.
00;20;49;02 - 00;20;50;12
Ian
Oh yes.
00;20;50;15 - 00;21;01;19
Gary Johnston
So I wanted something that has a bit of a hit my THC at 76.9%.
00;21;01;21 - 00;21;20;04
Gary Johnston
Delicious. Just delicious. Now, a little harsh as I'm bringing in a big toke. But that's my fault for trying to bring in too much air into my, Or too much smoke into my lungs.
00;21;20;07 - 00;21;35;22
Gary Johnston
And as I peel off the last of the available concentrates in there, I now take a peek. Yes, I am, I'm all dark. Dark and done. And, let me add to that I am done.
00;21;35;24 - 00;21;41;11
Ian
Whoa!
00;21;41;13 - 00;21;43;15
Gary Johnston
I don't have to wonder whether or not I got high off.
00;21;43;15 - 00;21;45;09
Ian
Of this one.
00;21;45;12 - 00;22;04;11
Gary Johnston
Let me remind you. Cultivar Corner is brought to you by Up in Smoke at 258 West Broadway in Vancouver, and online at It's Up in smoke.com. Now, as I say, this is not a direct delivery exclusive. This is available in most stores, but it is on the menu and it's up in smoke. If you want to check it out for yourself.
00;22;04;11 - 00;22;07;07
Gary Johnston
You're 19 years of age or older and you live in BC.
00;22;07;09 - 00;22;10;12
Ian
You can do so,
00;22;10;15 - 00;22;14;07
Gary Johnston
I'm just going to continue enjoying this.
00;22;14;10 - 00;22;15;11
Ian
00;22;15;13 - 00;22;41;18
Gary Johnston
I don't need any more. I have reached the maximum efficiency of my heat tolerance. I'm just buzzed. I am just really buzzed. If you're looking for a good buzz, get some chatter, get some Dilly Bar from the folks at JB ODS. They apparently know what they're doing and been like in their videos on Instagram. They're having a lot of fun as well, so I appreciate hearing from them.
00;22;41;21 - 00;23;13;02
Gary Johnston
Ha! And you're going to appreciate hearing from me now as I am wants to do I come back after a little bit. This is just rolling around in my endocannabinoid system and I am just buzzed. It just just smack in my face kind of buzzed. Oh, and that was off of one, just maybe a bit more than a pea size.
00;23;13;04 - 00;23;26;18
Gary Johnston
I still got less to smoke and I'm going to enjoy every little bit of it. Oh my my, my, this is one fine shatter. And now I'm shattered.
00;23;26;20 - 00;23;33;18
Ian
Sharing stories about good weed while trying good weed. This is the cannabis potcast.
00;23;33;21 - 00;23;59;12
Gary Johnston
We're picking this story up from Strack Connect. Com and it's about cannabis court and interprovincial barriers. If necessity is truly the mother of invention, President Trump's ongoing melee over tariffs on Canadian goods is surely a doorway to innovation. If nothing else, this looming financial burden for Canada has been a wake up call for Canadians to realize that we can't depend on over 70% of our exports being shipped to one country, no matter who it is.
00;23;59;15 - 00;24;27;01
Gary Johnston
Doing so is a foolish exercise in dependency, and sets the Great White North up to be beholden to a trading partner with a strong hand in determining our destiny. So once the initial shock wave clears and Canadian officials scramble to rebound from this week's negotiating position, many ideas have been floated to make trade more diverse. These include reaching out to countries in Europe and elsewhere, and a renewed push to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers in order to expand domestic revenue.
00;24;27;03 - 00;24;54;17
Gary Johnston
This is because while Canada is a sovereign nation, many Canadians do not realize the incredible level of trade restrictions that exist from province to province, choking domestic trade and limiting the revenue Canada can make within its borders. Well, the threat of tariffs on goods entering the U.S. does not have a direct impact on the Canadian cannabis industry, for obvious reasons, knocking down interprovincial trade barriers could be a fantastic and welcome opportunity for the sector, and this has not gone unnoticed.
00;24;54;19 - 00;25;22;23
Gary Johnston
This is something I've been discussing for a long time from my previous experience in beverage, alcohol and the Nova Scotia wine industry, said Jonathan Wilson, CEO of Crystal cure. We are a giant country, but we forget that within that country there are a whole bunch of borders, he said. Wilson added that in his experience, there are various instances where it can be easier to get products from international sources rather than from a different province, something that many sectors and companies have agreed with since Confederation.
00;25;22;23 - 00;25;43;21
Gary Johnston
All the provinces and territories have had their own governance on trade, their own set up, and some are more protective than others. Now you see, over 150 years later, what it's done. It's caused a bunch of bureaucracy and red tape. Wilson went on to say that because of this, it has always been the norm for provinces to protect their borders by keeping a very watchful eye on what they deem okay to enter and exit.
00;25;43;21 - 00;26;06;18
Gary Johnston
In terms of goods and services, reducing or eliminating Canadian trade barriers is not a new topic of discussion. In April 2017, provincial and territorial government signed the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, designed to open up trade restrictions and create more domestic revenue. While it was a step in the right direction. Almost half of the 345 page agreement was filled with exceptions and opt out measures.
00;26;06;22 - 00;26;36;24
Gary Johnston
At the time, a report released by the Senate tear down these walls, dismantling Canada's internal trade barriers showed that provincial trade restrictions were costing Canada as much as $130 billion per year. These restrictions included everything from truck tires to alcohol to carbon emissions, and many other goods and services. In 2018, the conversation continued again, sparked by a court case in which a New Brunswick resident named Gerard Comeau went to Quebec to buy alcohol and was fined $240 plus fees.
00;26;36;24 - 00;27;00;17
Gary Johnston
When he returned to his province, Comeau fought the fine and the case eventually went all the way to the Supreme Court, which upheld the existing laws. Nevertheless, the superfluous nature of the restrictions was on full display for the country to see. Then, as recently as 2023, a report by the Montreal Economic Institute said that interprovincial trade restrictions were costing Canada an added 7% country wide on goods and services.
00;27;00;20 - 00;27;25;24
Gary Johnston
The report advocated for the removal of these barriers. The first group it would help is the smaller companies, the micro and craft producers, the ones that don't have the infrastructure size or cash flow to get into the oceans, the B.C., LDP and any of them, said Wilson. He added it would also allow for direct sales to consumers, increased competition across the country, which would improve product offerings and more unique products, would see the light of day from coast to coast.
00;27;25;27 - 00;27;51;20
Gary Johnston
Gord Nicoll, the owner of North 40 cannabis, a micro cultivator and processor in Saskatchewan, would also agree. He is determined in other provinces that the process of getting approved by the board in these provinces can be a real challenge. A very good example is that multiple retailers in BC have been requesting my product and have been rejected by the board because they prefer to support BC cannabis, which is exactly what we're talking about interprovincial trade barriers.
00;27;51;22 - 00;28;14;01
Gary Johnston
He went on to say that there are barrier entries to every province that has a regulatory board and access to provincial gatekeepers. If Canada could drop all of that, nickel feels he could sell his entire inventory. Let me sell to any retailer I want to anywhere in Canada. I've got retailers in Ontario that would love to carry my product, but I can't jump through their hurdles to supply six retailers.
00;28;14;01 - 00;28;37;12
Gary Johnston
But I could do it if they weren't in, in a way. The move could also be undoubtedly assisted in eliminating the illicit market, which pays no attention to trade restrictions, said Wilson. Provinces hold on to their monopolies and protect their borders, thinking that they don't want to give up any revenue from controlling liquor, cannabis, whatever. But there's a tremendous amount of opportunity to not only make sales tax, but revenue from whatever they're sending out.
00;28;37;16 - 00;29;02;21
Gary Johnston
The pie can actually be grown. Wilson went on to say that for any of this to happen, at least in the cannabis sector, it starts with the federal government as it created the Cannabis Act. Then they'd have to get the provinces and territories on board, which has been the hardest part. Tweaks can be made to the existing systems, but for any real change, Canada needs to rethink the idea of provincial and territorial monopolies and realize that there are other, more profitable ways to do things.
00;29;02;23 - 00;29;29;17
Gary Johnston
Most recently, President Trump continued his warpath on trade with Canada by announcing a 25% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum. A further wrinkle in the uncomfortable conversation Canada is having with its largest trading partner. Having said that, the upside of this whole scenario is that this has started a deluge of discussion to once again consider removing domestic trade barriers, an idea that seems more and more blatantly obvious as the days go on and the trade threats continue.
00;29;29;20 - 00;29;50;02
Gary Johnston
Whether or not the cannabis sector will witness any positive side effects from these discussions and implementations remains to be seen, but making it easier for Canadians to get their hands on domestic products and services, especially at a time when Canadian trade is being threatened, seems more important than ever before. Now, that's a story that we needed to have, and good timing for that story.
00;29;50;05 - 00;30;00;07
Gary Johnston
Please, can we make it easier to sell cannabis to other provinces and other people across this country? There are some things we'd like to see changed.
00;30;00;09 - 00;30;04;12
Ian
For the cannabis infused studio In the clouds, this is the Cannabis potcast.
00;30;04;17 - 00;30;32;23
Gary Johnston
And we're grabbing this story from Strike Handcar, written by David Brown. It recently released study from Australia looked into the cultivation, consumption and analytical profiling of homegrown cannabis following decriminalization in the Australian capital Territory. The act. The survey found that the decriminalization of cannabis cultivation and possession in the act supported the needs of the community, with very few unintended consequences, while also lowering negative interactions with law enforcement.
00;30;32;26 - 00;30;59;15
Gary Johnston
Respondents had various reasons for cultivating, including the belief that it was safer than purchasing from the illicit market and the enjoyment of the process. The survey found that those growing cannabis at home in the Act typically consumed about a gram a day, from a total of about four plants a year. Analysis of home grown cannabis found most samples did not exceed contaminant guidelines for heavy metals or pesticides, with the mean THC total concentration at about 9%.
00;30;59;17 - 00;31;30;26
Gary Johnston
Most samples had fairly low levels of CBD, while minor phyto cannabinoids like CBG, CBN, and CBC were present in low to negligible concentrations. Although the state government of the Australian Capital Territory decriminalized small scale cannabis possession and cultivation in January 2020, many of the survey respondents said they were still concerned with some of the gray areas in the law, such as how to legally acquire starting material like clones or seeds, or even potential arrest under federal Australian law.
00;31;30;29 - 00;31;56;29
Gary Johnston
A total of 311 eligible respondents participated in the survey, out of about 516. Initial responses. The median age of respondents was 42, with most 69% identified as male, and almost all of those self-identified as cultivators said they had used cannabis in their lifetime 98%, while 91% were currently using cannabis. Nearly half of these growers said they were growing for both medical and non-medical reasons.
00;31;57;06 - 00;32;20;01
Gary Johnston
While 13% said they were medical use only and 36% said non-medical use only. Drilling down 70% of respondents also said they were growing in order to provide themselves with cannabis for non-medical reasons. Nearly as many as 65% said they also grew cannabis because they enjoyed the process, while 61% said they did so to provide themselves with cannabis for medical purposes.
00;32;20;03 - 00;32;52;24
Gary Johnston
A total of 71 cannabis samples were analyzed for phyto cannabinoid content, with results mostly following around 5 to 12% total THC. There were also 71 samples of cannabis analyzed for heavy metals, 62 for mycotoxins and 55 for pesticides. In addition to anxiety around sourcing legal starting materials and possible conflict with federal Australian law, respondents also told the researchers that the 50g possession limit 150g of fresh meant that with only four legal plants, growers may be harvesting more than they were allowed to possess.
00;32;52;27 - 00;33;17;25
Gary Johnston
This kind of anxiety was even higher for those in vulnerable communities who felt they could be more subject to legal scrutiny, potentially due to these limits. 59% of cultivators in the survey said they illegally shared their cannabis, while 76% convert plant matter into other forms. While the study found new negative downsides to the Act's cannabis rules, it does suggest that the program could be refined to better serve its intended purposes.
00;33;17;28 - 00;33;43;04
Gary Johnston
Namely, it suggests removing some restrictions on cultivation, such as providing access to starting materials, as well as more guidance on proper cultivation techniques. And I find it really interesting to see how cannabis is being developed all around the world. The Australian Capital Territory now has legalized, or rather decriminalized, cannabis. Gonna be interesting to see how that develops.
00;33;43;07 - 00;34;09;23
Gary Johnston
And the story we're picking up from Strech Handcar, written by David Brown, about a problem circadian CEO is having because he has some association to cannabis. The CEO of a company that specializes in manufacturing, importing and distributing agricultural machinery, including cannabis related equipment, has sued the United States Department of Homeland Security, saying they detained, interrogated and harassed him over the cannabis related equipment his company sells.
00;34;09;25 - 00;34;41;04
Gary Johnston
As first reported by Law360, Aaron McKellar, the CEO of Enterprise Technologies, a custom engineering, design and manufacturing firm based in Surrey, British Columbia, is suing the US agency after he was detained at the Blaine, Washington Port of Entry. It Is technologies is the parent company of the Moebius and Terminator brand of cannabis industry equipment in the court filing, but says he believes U.S. Customs and Border Protection actions were retaliatory and sought to harass and penalize McKellar for its legal success.
00;34;41;04 - 00;35;05;20
Gary Johnston
In a previous case, which confirmed that its cannabis related equipment is entirely legal under U.S. law. Although McCarter says he provided information supporting his admissibility into the United States, including the court approved legality of Atari's operations, he claims CBP officers made several comments to him, such as your customers should buy from an American company and buy from an American citizen.
00;35;05;22 - 00;35;31;05
Gary Johnston
Court records say that CBP officers concluded that McKenna is knowingly and intentional, contributing to the proliferation of the marijuana industry in the United States, and issued an expedited removal order against Mackellar that included a five year entry ban and warnings that any attempt to reenter the U.S. would lead to felony prosecution and imprisonment. CBP officers then also revoked his Nexus membership and confiscated his Nexus membership card.
00;35;31;07 - 00;35;59;03
Gary Johnston
For their part, the defendant, CBP and Port Director Hemet Gil, are said to have refused to reconsider or vacate the enforcement and removal operations issued against Mackellar, denying the reconsideration request. Cbp's own actions in granting Mckeller L-1 a work authorization on multiple occasions, including after the city decision, affirmed that CBP previously found no basis or reason to believe his conduct was unlawful, reads the lawsuit.
00;35;59;05 - 00;36;29;20
Gary Johnston
The absence of any facts or allegations against the terrorist undermines the defendant's assertion that a reason to believe finding that plaintiffs are aiding and abetting narcotics trafficking is now warranted. The lawsuit also argues that the Cbp's actions created fears of travel bans, expedited removal orders, and criminal prosecution for Canadian employees. Mckeller alleges that these actions disrupt cross-border operations and harm stresses USA competitiveness and collaboration with its Canadian counterpart across Canada.
00;36;29;23 - 00;36;52;00
Gary Johnston
Concerned about legal cannabis companies doing business in the U.S. are not new. In 2018, the CEO of another Surrey, B.C. based company that sells equipment to cannabis companies, Cureton Incorporated, was banned for life after CBP officers determined he was entering the country to do business with U.S. cannabis companies. Mckeller is the co-founder and former CEO of Virgin Incorporated.
00;36;52;02 - 00;37;20;05
Gary Johnston
Although he left the company in 2016. In 2018, the U.S. government clarified that while Canadian citizens working in or facilitating the proliferation of the legal cannabis industry in Canada, who come to the U.S. for reasons unrelated to the cannabis industry will generally be admissible to the U.S. however, if a traveler is found to be coming to the U.S. for reasons related to cannabis industry, the U.S. government says they may be deemed inadmissible.
00;37;20;08 - 00;37;31;02
Gary Johnston
This isn't getting any easier, is it? And I think because I have some experience in the cannabis industry, I don't plan any visits to the U.S. anytime soon.
00;37;31;04 - 00;37;50;29
Gary Johnston
Once more, thank you so much for being part of the Cannabis potcast family. I appreciate you coming by to listen each and every time. I also want to make you aware if you have a comment on the show, something you'd like to comment on, please send a note to info at Cannabis potcast.com. And if you'd like to perhaps reward the show, you light something that you hear.
00;37;50;29 - 00;38;13;20
Gary Johnston
You can go to buy me a coffee.com/cannabis potcast if you feel so inclined and you like what you hear, there's no problem with you buying me a doobie. I would be perfectly acceptable for that, and also perfectly acceptable. Let's get into the worst dad jokes and see if I can add some cannabis twist to this. How was the snow globe feeling after the storm?
00;38;13;27 - 00;38;40;27
Gary Johnston
Once it smoked cannabis a little shaken. How do you make an artichoke? You strangle it. I know these are dad jokes. Have a story, but I. But I'm having fun with it. Why did the man put his money in the freezer after he smoked cannabis? He wanted cold, hard cash. And what did one want to say to the other?
00;38;40;29 - 00;39;05;04
Gary Johnston
You look flushed. And let's finish off with this one. What did one DNA strand say to the other? DNA strand? Do these jeans make my butt look big? I'm sorry, but I have to have fun with it. I hope you enjoyed yourselves again. If you have any comments, please send a note to info at Cannabis potcast.com. From the Guy in the clouds.
00;39;05;06 - 00;39;10;21
Gary Johnston
That's it for episode 195 of the Cannabis potcast.
00;39;10;23 - 00;39;19;02
Ian
From the cannabis infused studio. High above the Okanagan Valley. This was the cannabis potcast.