Canada shipped packages of medical grass to international customers at warp speed during the first half of last year, according to the latest data from Health Canada.
A total of 67,475 kilograms of dried flower was exported during H1 –marking a 98 per cent year-over-year increase from the six-month period in 2023. The immense rise can be linked to a rapid expansion of legal markets throughout Europe, demand for GMP-certified product in less developed markets, economic incentives for Canadian suppliers due to an oversupply at home and other factors.
March set a new record for monthly exports at 14,015 kilograms of bud. May and June then managed to surpass that all-time-high number at 14,364 and 14,671 kilograms, respectively. Medical cannabis accounts for about 12.5 per cent of the country’s industry.
Domestic cannabis sales increased significantly during the first half of 2024 too, particularly in Ontario. The nation’s most populated province observed a 21 per cent year-over-year spike in terms of volume sold, raking in over C$1 billion.
Nearly seven years post-legalization, the Canadian market is now approximately 70 per cent controlled by licensed suppliers. An assortment of illicit-weed-distributing crooks still runs the remainder of the market share.
🌍 The growth of international cannabis markets without ample domestic supply continues to benefit Canadian producers.
📈 Health Canada's latest data shows 67,475kg of dried cannabis was exported in the first half of 2024. This is practically double the 34,115kg exported in the… pic.twitter.com/EKuv3WnJ0U
— Nick Pateras (@Nick_Pateras) January 20, 2025
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Canadian authorities make major bust as illicit crackdown continues
Despite the majority of the domestic market now being controlled by regulated sources, cannabis busts are a regular occurrence in the country.
Earlier this week, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) revealed that they had seized nearly C$13 million worth of contraband marijuana that they discovered in a shipping container at the Port of Montreal.
“It was concealed in 3,113 sealed packets placed in 59 large sports bags,” the law enforcement agency said. The product was destined for Nigeria.
In Ontario, a province with nearly 16 million people, the government invested C$31 million into the Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team last year to help crack down on illegal distribution shops and websites.
Citizens looking for a more potent brownie or gummy may favour illicit sources due to the 10-milligram THC limit on edibles in Canada. This is considered by many to be one of the national industry’s foremost problems and a catalyst for illegal sales.
rowan@mugglehead.com
