The back and forth between the various constituents in the discussions to legalize cannabis for adult use in Canada continues:
Some of Canada’s biggest producers of medical marijuana want Ottawa to implement advertising regulations similar to those that govern the sale of alcohol, as they await the Liberal government’s long-promised legal recreational market.
A concerted policy push is underway from Tweed Inc., Mettrum Ltd. and Bedrocan Canada Inc. — three licensed producers that operate under Health Canada’s medical marijuana program.
Health Canada has very strict rules regarding advertising. In November 2014, it sent warning letters to the 20 licensed producers at that time reminding them of an advertising bulletin sent to all licenced producers in June 2014 that warned that failure to comply with the rules could lead to fines ranging from $250,000 to $5,000,000, or to a term of imprisonment ranging from six months to two years, or to both (s.31.2 FDA). Similarly, if a licensed producer is found to be in contravention of s.70 of the NCR, and is convicted of that offence, the fines could range from $1,000 to $5,000 or to a term of imprisonment from six months to three years, or to both (s.46 Next link will take you to another Web site Controlled Drugs and Substance Act).
As Tweed President Mark Zekulin notes:
The system that we are operating in right now is set up for a controlled substance.
Read Kristy Kirkup’s “Medical marijuana producers eye changes for advertising regulations”: http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/01/31/medical-marijuana-producers-eye-changes-for-advertising-regulations
