We look for changes from our federal government, the excitement in the industry over the changes to packaging, should we use THC ranges instead of a number, and the importance of customer loyalty. We stop on Cultivar Corner, brought to you by Up In Smoke – we bring you a direct delivery product exclusive from Island Genetics we try some of their Kool Grapes.
We look for changes from our federal government, the excitement in the industry over the changes to packaging, should we use THC ranges instead of a number, and the importance of customer loyalty. We stop on Cultivar Corner, brought to you by Up In Smoke – we bring you a direct delivery product exclusive from Island Genetics we try some of their Kool Grapes.
Waiting for Carney to take action
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;18;23
Ian
Exploring the world of Canadian cannabis culture. One toke at a time. Here is your host and bud tender Gary Johnston.
00;00;19;00 - 00;00;38;27
Gary Johnston
What a perfect opportunity to welcome you back to the Cannabis potcast. Or maybe I'm welcoming you for the first time. In either case, I'm really happy to have you here. I really enjoy the fact that you are a listener of the Cannabis potcast. Now we are here today to talk about a plant that I am absolutely passionate about, and that's going to be about the next 30 minutes or so.
00;00;38;27 - 00;01;06;05
Gary Johnston
It is cannabis. And let me remind you, 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 on episode 216. Look at the packaging. We look for changes from our federal government. The excitement in the industry is building over the changes to packaging.
00;01;06;08 - 00;01;31;01
Gary Johnston
Should we use THC ranges instead of a number and the importance of customer loyalty? We stop on call to our corner. Brought to you by Up in Smoke. We bring you a direct delivery product exclusive from Island Genetics. We try some of their cool grapes. All of that and more on episode 216 of the Cannabis potcast.
00;01;31;04 - 00;01;50;20
Gary Johnston
And as always, I want to thank you for being a listener of the Cannabis potcast. I'm so happy to have you along for the ride. Let me also tell you, if you want to comment in anything you hear. You can do so by sending a note to info at Cannabis potcast.com. And if you want to help, you can go to buy me a coffee.com/cannabis potcast.
00;01;50;23 - 00;02;08;22
Gary Johnston
If you like what you hear and you feel so inclined, you can buy me a doobie. Now let's get to the first story and we are picking this story up from the outside. Was written by Pat Fulmer. Now that Mark Carney has been confirmed as prime Minister, the cannabis industry would like to see action from the federal government.
00;02;08;24 - 00;02;38;10
Gary Johnston
Canada likes to position itself as a global leader in legal cannabis. But since legalization in 2018, the federal government has failed this industry and the tens of thousands of hardworking Canadians it supports, said Paul McCarthy, president of the Cannabis Council of Canada, in a news release. In particular, the industry wants excise tax and stamp reform. The current excise taxation framework is completely misaligned with today's market realities, the council said in its release.
00;02;38;13 - 00;03;09;07
Gary Johnston
When it was introduced in 2018, cannabis sold for approximately $10 per gram. Today, producers are receiving as little as $3 per gram, yet the excise tax remains the greater of 10% of the product's value, or $1 per gram. This has created a crushing and unintended tax burden that now is three times higher than what was originally envisioned. The council wants the per gram duty dropped in favor of the 10% rate on wholesale prices.
00;03;09;10 - 00;03;36;05
Gary Johnston
The council also wants requirements to put a different excise stamp on products for each province and territory, replaced with a single national stamp. This red tape adds cost and complexity for legal producers distributing products nationwide, placing a significant burden on an industry that is committed to being law abiding, consumer focused and financially viable. The council said the illicit cannabis market is still a problem.
00;03;36;05 - 00;04;09;09
Gary Johnston
The council said illicit cannabis is estimated to make up between 25 and 40% of total sales in Canada, an unacceptable reality that demands urgent federal action. Organigram CEO Bernard Goldenberg also called for excise tax and stamp reform, and urged the government to launch a national cannabis export strategy led by Global Affairs Canada and international trade through fairer taxation, exports prioritization and by addressing interprovincial trade barriers and the illicit market.
00;04;09;10 - 00;04;26;03
Gary Johnston
Canada's legal cannabis sector can be set up for long term success and real growth, said in Organigram news release and that is true. So let's look at some changes, hopefully coming from the federal government sometime soon.
00;04;26;05 - 00;04;30;17
Ian
For the cannabis infused studio in the clouds. This is the cannabis potcast.
00;04;30;19 - 00;05;07;20
Gary Johnston
And we're going to start kangkong for the next story. And this is all about the new, exciting changes to consumer packaging for cannabis. Following changes to the regulations earlier this year, new cannabis packaging and products are continuing to hit shelves across Canada. In March, the federal cannabis regulator finalized a range of rule changes for cannabis producers, including several that will be noticeable to consumers, such as large cannabis pre-rolls, streamlined labeling requirements for THC and CBD, multicolored packaging QR codes, and see through windows for cannabis flower.
00;05;07;22 - 00;05;35;15
Gary Johnston
By April, a handful of packaging for dried flower was appearing on shelves in some provinces with clear packaging, and many other examples have been launched since then as well. They'll have a flower. A B.C. based cannabis producer recently launched their cannabis in packaging, with a clear window to allow consumers to see the cannabis, something Sara Tulloch, operations manager at Bell Hollow, says is already selling out quickly at Valhalla Flower.
00;05;35;18 - 00;05;56;20
Gary Johnston
We're proud to be among the first to launch this new windowed packaging format in BC. The feedback from retailers has been overwhelmingly positive, but tender's appreciate being able to show consumers exactly what's inside the bag, which helps build trust in the quality of the product, something that's always been core to who we are as a craft family run business.
00;05;56;23 - 00;06;21;15
Gary Johnston
It's also getting some pretty big hype, which has been pretty exciting to see. Logistically, there were definitely a few extra hoops to jump through in terms of approvals and compliance, but it was important to us to find a solution that showcases the flower while staying within regulatory guidelines. Another B.C. producer has recently launched a new product category made possible by Health Canada's recent rule changes.
00;06;21;17 - 00;06;47;23
Gary Johnston
Woody Nelson has launched a cool pack of cannabis edibles with ten by ten milligram THC edibles per package, prior to the recent rule changes. Cannabis producers could only sell edibles with no more than ten milligrams THC per package. The new regulations allow up to ten of those ten milligram packages within one larger pack. Each package is still required to be individually wrapped in childproof packaging.
00;06;47;24 - 00;07;17;14
Gary Johnston
With all of Health Canada's labeling requirements. While he's excited to be one of the first producers to launch such a product into the Canadian market, Walter Payton, chief commercial officer at Woodie Nelson, says he's still disappointed that he has to include so much extra packaging just to allow consumers to buy multiple edibles in one external package. I think it is a it's an important step in the right direction for regulated edibles, but it's hard to ignore the waste created by all this extra packaging, says Payton.
00;07;17;17 - 00;07;43;06
Gary Johnston
Even so, it's a great product and one we had a lot of fun making. If our goal is to compete with the illicit market in an environmentally friendly way, there's still room to improve. Payton says Woody Nelson also has plans to release a cannabis pre-roll with more than one gram of cannabis. Although cannabis producers have been able to sell infused pre-rolls with more than one gram, this will be among the first of such products in the non infused category.
00;07;43;08 - 00;08;05;14
Gary Johnston
Woody Nelson isn't the only company launching these types of edibles. Organigram also recently announced its shred brand edibles in such cool packaging in what it calls a party pack. Atlantic Cultivation, a cannabis producer in Newfoundland, was one of the first companies to release such packaging earlier this year. The latest launch was for its new headspace cultivar in June.
00;08;05;17 - 00;08;40;08
Gary Johnston
Rather than just a clear window, though, as some companies have done. Atlantic opted for full, transparent packaging. So far, the reception of our Third Coast Genetics brand in clear bags has been great, says Chris Crosby, the company's founder and chief operator. What I enjoy about these new clear bags for the headspace brand that we are just launching this month is the approach we took with our marketing team at Foxtail Creative to blend the transparency into the color and not have isolated, transparent sections of the bag or a dedicated window which seems to be the approach of the majority of the new packaging.
00;08;40;08 - 00;09;06;02
Gary Johnston
I've seen. Avante brands, another B.C. based producer, also recently released its own clear packaging, a clear plastic jar for the Tencel brand. Ideal hinge vice president of brand and product at Yvonne Brands, says the company has been considering this type of packaging for several years. We started conceptualizing clear packaging ideas prior to the cannabis Act in 2018, as we weren't aware there would be strict opaque requirements.
00;09;06;05 - 00;09;26;16
Gary Johnston
Being able to see what you're buying has always been a key part of the cannabis purchasing experience. When Health Canada published the notice, a proposed amendment in June 2024, we saw there was a potential for this to finally become a reality and started to plan a road to actualization and hopes to be one of the first to offer this to retail and consumers.
00;09;26;19 - 00;09;54;04
Gary Johnston
Haji says Avod has plans for several other options as well. We're currently in development and trialing several options across our black market intent or brand, but our initial feedback from our first iteration has been extremely positive from both retailers and consumers alike. Concerns regarding light degradation or consumers wanting to see individual jars were expected and planned for prior to launch, and we're glad that we haven't experienced any issues on either thus far.
00;09;54;07 - 00;10;19;27
Gary Johnston
We believe we'll see more quality products. Those with confidence in their products adopt fully or partially transparent packaging. Beyond the marketing and merchandizing value at hand. Transparency is what consumers want and that's what matters most. Ryan Roche, who owns and operates two cannabis stores in Alberta, Lake City Cannabis, says he hasn't seen too many of the copecks for edibles, but says for flower and pre-rolls, it's been enticing to customers.
00;10;19;29 - 00;10;43;12
Gary Johnston
The clear packaging on flower and pre-rolls has been a real hit, explains Rose flower. More so than pre-rolls. But the pre-rolls, it's it's a real nice thing to have. A lot of people just enjoy that level of it. For the flower side of things, it's a real differentiator for showing one versus the other. If you've got a clear window, it's just more likely to sell overall and in one case, not sell because they didn't like the way it looks.
00;10;43;14 - 00;10;57;25
Gary Johnston
So it can be a little bit of a gift and a curse. But overall super positive customer feedback, really positive on that. And those are some good words about some new packaging that you're starting to see in cannabis stores across the country. It's just going to get better.
00;10;57;27 - 00;11;07;11
Ian
THC CBD to m profile. What's it me? Oh, please explain to me. Go to the.
00;11;07;14 - 00;11;13;23
Unknown
The go to local commercial. Yeah. Go to the portal.
00;11;13;23 - 00;11;17;21
Ian
Please explain this stuff to me.
00;11;17;24 - 00;11;40;08
Gary Johnston
Welcome to Cultivar Corner. Brought to you by Up in Smoke at 258 West Broadway in Vancouver. And online at It's Up in smoke.com. Remember, if you were 19 years of age or older and you live in B.C., you can go to the online menu and have something sent to you. And often I can get to you in just a day like he is done again.
00;11;40;11 - 00;12;04;20
Gary Johnston
We chatted about this before I got into this cultivar. So we're doing Island genetics. Cool grapes now. Was especially interesting about the island genetics is that you can only get it. You can get it through direct delivery, and you can get it in three different stores. That's where you can get it everywhere else. They can't get it any.
00;12;04;22 - 00;12;36;18
Gary Johnston
It's true. Craft creamery, local cannabis Co and Up in Smoke are the three stores where you can go to get some either genetics, cool grapes. That's what we're trying today and I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a blast. Oh and oh oh and he opens up the bag. Oh my God, the multitude of aromas that are coming into my mind.
00;12;36;20 - 00;13;04;20
Gary Johnston
God, there's some diesel. There's some sweetness. So what do we got? So this is cool. Grapes my THC is sitting at. Where is my THC? Come on, tell me what my THC is. You must be on the front 23.8. That's a nice. I like that, that's nice. And my turbines? 2.82.96 turbines. My total dominant turbines are limonene. Beauty, careful.
00;13;04;22 - 00;13;33;17
Gary Johnston
Beauty. Carry off. Lean and lean a little. Your flavors sweet. Menthol and diesel. So it's a cross of pure kush and Wedding Crashers, where the cool grapes come from. Oh, that is just such a delightful aroma. There's a little bit of diesel. So we're getting some gas notes here, That's cool. If we want the real story on this cultivar we go to, it's up in smoke and the Island Genetics cool grape menu.
00;13;33;23 - 00;14;01;24
Gary Johnston
Here's the option. Here's what Matt wrote. Those capital letters are a mouthful, but they are all true craft greenery, local cannabis Co and Up in Smoke have come together to bring flower from Island Genetics to market. This three store exclusive is only available for a limited time. A note from the farmer Cool grapes is an indica dominant hybrid with an old school sweet Kush with a hint of earth and a menthol gas profile.
00;14;01;26 - 00;14;27;26
Gary Johnston
It's a cross between Pure Kush and Wedding Crasher. The flower is grown indoors at a purpose built indoor facility on Vancouver Island in organic living soil. All plant hang dried for two weeks, hand trimmed and cured for a minimum of two more weeks. In Terp Lock Bags package from the first week of July, we're bringing you Cool Grapes Cross and Pure Push and wedding crasher from compound Genetics in California.
00;14;27;28 - 00;14;50;01
Gary Johnston
The pure kush used in this Fino is a legit cut from Northern California, grown organically in living soil. This flower is by the smokers for the smokers. Don't wait to read it to figure it out. Scoop your bag today. And that's the word from that, let me bust up some bud. Let me get it into a couple of dosing capsules for my mighty.
00;14;50;04 - 00;15;11;16
Gary Johnston
Let's get a joint rolled and let's get down to business. So Matt got together with the people at Craft Creamery, the local cannabis co, and up in smoke. They went on a little road trip and they went to Vancouver Island, and they took a look at what island genetics is doing. They were blown away. They really wanted to be part of this.
00;15;11;19 - 00;15;34;02
Gary Johnston
So it is the only these three stores. It's the only place you can get the island genetics. Cool grapes. That's pretty cool. So if you want to get one, you better go to one of these three stores and you better do it now. So now let's get into Island Genetics. Let's talk about the Island genetics located on Vancouver Island.
00;15;34;05 - 00;16;04;25
Gary Johnston
Island genetics is committed to curating the best cannabis in the world, growing with organic, no till farming, data driven soil nutrition and biology complemented with an artisanal dry trim and cure. We're producing cannabis with the complex profile and elite smoking experience, both connoisseurs and enthusiasts will appreciate our soil, beds or a powerful ecosystem housing beneficial bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes and worms.
00;16;04;25 - 00;16;39;18
Gary Johnston
The symbiotic relationship these beneficial organisms have with the roots enhances optimal plant health, enriches the chirping profile, increases potency, and provides natural protection against harmful pests and diseases. We regularly analyze our soil and compost through a microscope to ensure that each of the biological populations of our plants are meeting the targets we set. We also analyze the mineral chemistry of our soil, our compost, and our feeds to ensure our plants are supplied with the exact balance of minerals needed for each stage of growth.
00;16;39;20 - 00;17;11;05
Gary Johnston
Committed to the meticulous attention to detail and careful nurturing of our craft, we are continuously striving for perfection and raising the bar for quality. We preserve as much of the original trichomes as possible by hanging, drying for plants, and trimming and cold curing in small containers. I like the story. So far over the past decade, we have collected 80 plus unique Landry's cultivars from prominent historical regions where cannabis has grown indigenously.
00;17;11;07 - 00;17;38;18
Gary Johnston
Our genetic library allows us to have the breeding material for our extensive offering of new, unique profile strains. There is some interesting information on Island Genetics. They are on Vancouver Island and they are growing some pretty nice weed. And Matt and the folks at Craft Greenery and the Cannabis Co, went on a little trip. They were pretty impressed with what they saw, so they ordered some and they have some on the way.
00;17;38;18 - 00;17;55;21
Gary Johnston
So I will tell you this is pretty limited. If you do want to get some of this, you better make a move. So I'm coming up on the cultivar corner this week, and it's going to be this week that you can get your access to it. And hopefully there will still be some cool grapes for you. I'm just about ready.
00;17;55;24 - 00;18;24;01
Gary Johnston
I'm just about ready for testing. This is one of my favorite parts of Cultivar Quarter. I just love it. I just love it. So I'm genetics, cool grapes, pure cash, Kush and Wedding crasher. It's 23.9% THC. I like that my terpenes again limonene, beta carefully carry off line and little rule is what we have in our terpene mix.
00;18;24;03 - 00;18;54;17
Gary Johnston
And you know what actually let's get the let's get the multi multi let's get the multi up to temperature. We'll turn that on. And as we turn that on we will light the joint. And we are ready for island genetics. Cool grapes a special opportunity for us now from up in smoke and direct delivery.
00;18;54;19 - 00;19;11;29
Gary Johnston
Oh nice taste. Oh yeah. So there's a little diesel in there. There's a bit of sweetness and there's even a little bit of menthol in there. I always like that when there's a bit of menthol coming up in my smoke.
00;19;12;02 - 00;19;38;04
Gary Johnston
Oh, really smooth. I haven't felt a need to smoke or cough at all so far today. And that is always a nice experience. And yes, I have to give credit to to Matt for pushing out the weed and get him into the system and getting them here the next day. He often does it almost, almost every every time.
00;19;38;04 - 00;19;55;08
Gary Johnston
We have ordered something from up in smoke, we've got it the next day or perhaps the day after, but that's only happened once or twice. It's usually here the next day. Okay, so there's a couple of joint. As I look at the ash. I don't have any ash developing on that, so I'll hang on to that for a bit.
00;19;55;08 - 00;20;07;10
Gary Johnston
Now let's go to my mighty four cool grapes from Island Genetics.
00;20;07;13 - 00;20;21;27
Gary Johnston
Oh, there's some of that diesel. Oh, there's some of that sweetness as well. And even a bit of menthol coming through of my vaporizer.
00;20;21;29 - 00;20;46;04
Gary Johnston
Oh, Matt was speaking volumes of what they saw at the facility when they went and looked and is speaking volumes about the quality of the weed that they have in their store from Island Genetics. Cool grapes. He's pretty impressed. And I have to say, so far I am pretty impressed too. I love all of the weed that's coming from Vancouver Island.
00;20;46;07 - 00;21;04;28
Gary Johnston
I like the weed is coming from the interior too. And let me be clear on that. Okay, now I've got some ash on my card, about a half an inch of ash on there. There is not a hint of blackness in there. I can just drop that off in my ashtray. Lovely, lovely, lovely. Let's get some more of the.
00;21;05;01 - 00;21;13;10
Gary Johnston
Oh, Let's go a more mighty.
00;21;13;13 - 00;21;32;15
Gary Johnston
Oh, really? Like the the diesel. There's some gassy notes that are. Love it in my mouth today. Oh, it's a lovely aroma that's happening in my studio today. I've got to say, I love the way this this weed smells.
00;21;32;18 - 00;22;10;08
Gary Johnston
From. I still got some on my joint goin. And here it comes. I can feel those little, All those cannabinoids working their way through my CB1 receptors and giving me a feeling of THC 23.8% THC is the what we're dealing with. And I am loving it. So this is an indica. This is going to be a nice body stone that comes along with this.
00;22;10;08 - 00;22;29;20
Gary Johnston
And I can feel a little bit of that right now. And let's remember a cultivar corner brought to you by Up in Smoke at 258 West Broadway in Vancouver and online at It's Up in smoke.com. Remember, if you live in B.C. and you're 19 years of age or older, go online, order something for delivery and who knows how quickly you'll get it.
00;22;29;23 - 00;22;54;19
Gary Johnston
And if you live in Vancouver or by 2 p.m., you can look for it. Same day delivery by e-scooter. All kinds of great options for you. A little relaxation in my spinal cord going down into some body stone. Oh, I got some happy eyes that are hanging on. And they are taking my eyes to a wonderful place.
00;22;54;22 - 00;23;04;16
Gary Johnston
Euphoria is right there. Now, let's see if I can get bit more of this in to me.
00;23;04;19 - 00;23;30;16
Gary Johnston
Oh, my my, my, I am loving this island. Genetics. Cool grapes, pure kush and wedding crasher. That's your indica hybrid that has come up from the folks at Island Genetics. I got a feeling you're going to be putting this on your list of your must have weeds. It needs to be. One of the ones is coming into you.
00;23;30;18 - 00;24;04;21
Gary Johnston
Oh, this is really nice. Oh, yeah. Nice body stone. Now. Thank you. Very, happy eyes, relaxing body. Could I ask for anything more? Island genetics, cool grapes. Oh, this is a winner. And as I have been hanging on to it for a while and it's been rolling around in my endocannabinoid system, it is just continued to increase.
00;24;04;23 - 00;24;28;23
Gary Johnston
I'm really high. I'm not super high. Like, I'm not over the top, but I am really chill. I got a really nice body stone going on. I got some head stone coming up. My euphoria is there, my happy eyes are there. My body's feeling good. This is going to be a nice day. Sharing stories about good weed while trying good weed.
00;24;28;25 - 00;24;58;22
Gary Johnston
This is the cannabis potcast and we are picking this story up from Strack and Akam. And this was contributed. As cannabis retail matures across North America, the competitive pressure on dispensaries has never been higher, with more choices than ever before. Consumers are no longer loyal, but default for dispensary owners and marketers. The challenge is shifting. It's not just about attracting new customers, but also keeping them coming back.
00;24;58;24 - 00;25;32;27
Gary Johnston
As reported by Strack. Again, there are approximately 3600 stores across Canada. Meanwhile, emerging U.S. markets like New York are rapidly expanding with licensed counts expected to more than double from 275 to over 625 by the end of the year. The influx of competitors, including major chains, has reshaped the landscape. Cannabis consumers now have countless dispensary options, often within blocks of each other, and this has made standing out and sustaining customer relationships increasingly difficult.
00;25;33;00 - 00;26;00;10
Gary Johnston
The data reflects this new reality. According to the between a group, the average cannabis shopper visit to the dispensary about eight times per year and typically spreads those visits across three different retailers. One industry study noted that just 16% of consumers returned to the same dispensary after their first visit. Over a five year period. The vast majority eventually drift to other stores.
00;26;00;12 - 00;26;25;13
Gary Johnston
This kind of churn isn't just a missed opportunity, it's a major cost retaining a customer is widely recognized as more cost effective than acquiring a new one. Yet many dispensaries still focus their efforts on attracting first timers without a strategy to convert them into loyal regulars. As the market matures, leading dispensaries are shifting their mindset. Retention is the new growth.
00;26;25;16 - 00;26;56;14
Gary Johnston
Dispensary owners are starting to ask tougher questions. How do we build loyalty that isn't just driven by discounts? What does it take to create a memorable experience? How can we utilize data and technology to deepen relationships? Investments in loyalty programs, personalized service and community building are on the rise. As noted by Brant Stack, cannabis retail technology Platform, this shift is necessary to avoid being stuck on the acquisition treadmill.
00;26;56;16 - 00;27;24;23
Gary Johnston
In their words, capturing the customer is the hard part. Now you need to give them a reason to stay in 2025. Punch cards and generic discounts just don't cut it. Today's customers, especially younger ones, are more responsive to personalized, experience led strategies. That includes tailored product recommendations, member exclusive drops or content, educational resources or simple tattoos like consistent, high quality service that builds trust.
00;27;24;25 - 00;28;00;11
Gary Johnston
Dispensaries that invest in creating emotional loyalty where the customer feels seen, appreciated and connected to the brand are more likely to retain repeat business. As competition continues to rise, these subtle experience differences become major. Differentiate the bottom line in 2025 saturated cannabis retail landscape loyalty is no longer optional. It's key to long term success. Dispensaries that prioritize customer experience, retention strategies, and community connection will have the edge as the industry continues to evolve.
00;28;00;11 - 00;28;30;27
Gary Johnston
Sharing best practices and learning from peers is increasingly essential. And let's see what happens with loyalty programs as they develop this year. And in this story from Direct Connect Comm, we're talking about whether or not we should go to THC ranges instead of exact percentages. As the Canadian cannabis industry matures, so too does the conversation about how products are labeled particularly and how THC content is communicated.
00;28;30;29 - 00;29;06;20
Gary Johnston
A growing number of industry leaders and researchers believe it's time to move away from the illusion of precision offered by single number THC percentages and instead embrace potency ranges. We believe one of the most effective and immediate solutions is shifting from a single THC value to arrange, says Orval, Bob and Shawn, president of Pure Sunfarms. A single number oversimplifies a naturally variable product and can mislead consumers, according to Bove and churn, even a single plant can exhibit subtle fluctuations in potency by highlighting just one number.
00;29;06;25 - 00;29;33;00
Gary Johnston
Labels can unintentionally misrepresent what's in the bag. This not only fuels unrealistic consumer expectations, but also creates pressure throughout the supply chain, he says. That pressure, he argues, distorts percentages of quality from cultivation through to retail. But when she says THC ranges as one piece of a broader puzzle to help reframe how consumers think about cannabis, quality education is key, he notes.
00;29;33;02 - 00;30;05;21
Gary Johnston
Terpenes, flavor, aroma, flower structure and even have a cultivar was grown all contribute to the overall experience. The shift toward ranges isn't just theoretical, it's already happening in other parts of the world, Shira Solomon, spokesperson for the Israeli Ministry of Health, explains that starting in 2024, Israel implemented a new system to reflect cannabis natural variability more accurately. Since cannabis is a natural plant characterized by variations between flowers.
00;30;05;23 - 00;30;38;02
Gary Johnston
Starting in 2024, the concentrations of active ingredients are indicated as a range scale rather than an exact numeral value. Solomon says. This marking method is intended to prevent deception and increase transparency toward doctors and patients, and strengthen the coherence between the medical cannabis field and the pharmaceutical world. Amanda Raman, founder and CEO of Personal Plant, agrees that potency ranges may help consumers focus less on chasing high THC percentages.
00;30;38;04 - 00;31;00;10
Gary Johnston
It may be more useful to consumers to choose products based on high, medium and low potency rather than rely on a specific number, she says. Color coded labels can make it easier to select products of a given potency. However, Raman is quick to point out that THC ranges alone are not enough. Right now, many consumers equate potency with quality.
00;31;00;12 - 00;31;33;21
Gary Johnston
Also, information on other components of their products that may have an impact on effect, such as terpenes, are often not included, leaving THC percentage as the anchor when differentiating one product from another. For ranges to be effective, she stresses, the need for better consumer education ranges can help corral people into general potency categories, but education is still needed to help people assess their minimum effective dose and experiment with lower potency products to see if they can achieve the effect they want before moving on to higher potency items.
00;31;33;23 - 00;32;05;12
Gary Johnston
Doctor Marcus Rogan, CEO of Complex Biotech, echoed these sentiments from scientific perspective, current THC percentage labels on cannabis products specifically, especially dried flower, are not as precise or reliable as they appear, he says. The potency can vary between different parts of the same plant and between buds and the same lot. THC values, Rogen explains, are based on a sample and can be influenced by lab variability and even selective sampling by producers.
00;32;05;14 - 00;32;29;25
Gary Johnston
A recent Canadian analysis of 46 legal cannabis flower products found every single product's actual THC was lower than the label claimed, in some cases by a huge margin. In theory, Rogen believes, ranges like 18 to 22%. THC could be more honest if implemented with integrity seal, he cautions. That ranges alone won't fix the system unless they're based on robust testing.
00;32;29;25 - 00;32;58;18
Gary Johnston
We may still see questionable behavior by producers and labs. There's also the matter of how consumers will respond. Will removing a single high THC number encourage more thoughtful purchasing in one experiment, adding more intuitive information dramatically improved understanding when products were labeled with simple descriptors or a traffic light, low, medium, or high potency system, consumers were far better at identifying strength than with a numeric percentage.
00;32;58;18 - 00;33;29;02
Gary Johnston
Labels. As Rogen Riemann concurs, emphasizing that broader education around cannabis effects is essential. Low, medium, and high ranges may help consumers take the complete focus off THC percentage. However, only if paired with additional product information and education about the role of other plant constituents in a creating effect. Ultimately, embracing ranges could nut the industry and consumers toward a more holistic, transparent understanding of cannabis quality.
00;33;29;04 - 00;33;44;00
Gary Johnston
But it will only work if regulators, producers and educators collaborate to deliver both better labeling and better information. What do you think about that, taking your single THC percentage? And let's go with ranges. Perhaps it will be more accurate.
00;33;44;07 - 00;33;52;16
Ian
Exploring the world of Canadian cannabis culture, one toke at a time. This is the cannabis potcast.
00;33;52;21 - 00;34;16;00
Gary Johnston
Congratulate yourself. We made it through episode 216 and we are in the same state as we started. If we had a chance to smoke a joint doing the episode, perhaps we're a little bit higher. All right, now it is time to get to our worst dead jokes. From my by word teaser game, it is the worst dad jokes and we're pulling from the top and here we go.
00;34;16;02 - 00;34;50;25
Gary Johnston
How do you organize a big event in outer space? Your planet? And that is pretty clever actually. How can you tell it's a dogwood tree after you've smoked some cannabis by the bark? That one was a little dude. Why do octopi always win in a fight? Because they're well-armed. And finally, why did the banana put on sunscreen? Because it didn't want to peel.
00;34;50;27 - 00;35;05;22
Gary Johnston
The lizard. Funny. I'm sorry. I'm just too much of a dad. I just loved education. I hope you've had a good time. Thank you for being here. From the guy in the clouds. That's it for episode 216 of the Cannabis potcast.
00;35;05;24 - 00;35;14;04
Ian
From the cannabis infused studio high above the Okanagan Valley. This was the cannabis potcast.