An Alberta-based THC-infused beverage company is quite upset about Health Canada letting testing blunders slide and is urging the government department to do a better job at enforcing regulations.
Bubble Bud Inc. put out a news release on Tuesday criticizing the cannabis regulator for allegedly letting cannabis drinks into the market that are far more potent than they should be.
“The lack of accurate, standardized testing protocols for cannabis beverages is allowing products with THC levels an average of 41 per cent above legal limits to flood the market,” Callum Hanton, chief executive of Bubble Bud, said. “Some beverages were tested to be overdosed by over 71 per cent.”
Hanton says that this not only compromises the consistency and integrity of drinks in the country but is also a significant health concern due to unexpected levels of intoxication.
In Canada, cannabis drinks are not permitted to have a THC content exceeding 10 milligrams. Unsuspecting customers may be unknowingly consuming beverages with 14 to 17.5 per cent, Bubble Bud claims.
Read more: UBC awarded half a million to research fruit scented cannabis cultivation
Read more: Surprise surprise, new study finds that cannabis makes music more enjoyable
Alberta politician speaks out
Minister Dale Nally complained about this issue at this year’s Grow Up Conference in Edmonton this week. He has been known to push for regulatory simplification in the industry. Nally has helped to lower fees for licensed producers and retailers.
“We applaud Minister Nally for recognizing these risks and publicly calling out the need for change,” Hanton said, “but the Government of Canada and Health Canada must step up and implement robust, consistent testing methodologies across the board.”
Beverages only comprise a small amount of the country’s cannabis market share at approximately 1.5 per cent of total sales.
This niche of the broader marijuana industry in Canada is expected to grow slightly in the next five years by about 1.3 per cent. It will be worth just under C$9.5 billion by 2029, researchers have predicted.
Last year, Ontario sold the most infused libations out of the nation’s provinces.
Canadian citizens are permitted to purchase a maximum of 48 cans at a time, consisting of 355 milligrams of liquid apiece. Some of the Great White North’s most popular chronic drinks include Cann Social Tonics, Select Squeeze and Artet mocktails with delta-9 THC.
rowan@mugglehead.com
