Follow the Leader – Canada
By MIMI EVANS
While the United States struggles with a fragmented legalization process and infrastructure, Canada seems to be light years ahead. Interestingly enough, a small country in South America, Uruguay, has mastered this for 3 million people, Canada is working on it for their 30 million, how can we scale this for 300 million US Citizens?
Canada recently created a very diverse task force (citizens, patients, advocates indigenous governments, employers, industry experts, and provincial representatives). The purpose is to advise the Canadian government on the best practices to create and implement recreational legalization for all adults in the country (without messing with the success they’ve had with medical regulation). After five rigorous months of research, interviews and strategy sessions, this team published a (very readable) 6-chapter report: THE FRAMEWORK FOR LEGALIZATION AND REGULATION OF CANNABIS IN CANADA.
The hallmarks of the report are safety and regulation. The task force sought to minimize any risks – real or perceived – that might result from cannabis legalization, especially for children.
One of the key topics is what they refer to as the“HARMS OF USE” which includes interesting potential strategies for potency of cannabis:
“Develop strategies to encourage consumption of less potent cannabis, including a price and tax scheme based on potency to discourage purchase of high-potency products.” This is the same strategy that has been used to discourage tobacco use and it has proved successful. After all, according to the laws of supply and demand, if you raise the price of something – all other things being equal – the demand will drop.”
What does this all mean? Whether or not you want to believe it, it means that Marijuana has become Cannabis and that “scientific evidence” will become a hallmark of the business of Cannabis. So, we encourage everyone in the business to embrace the “Science of Cannabis” – those who will survive and thrive in the business will grasp, understand and be a part of this movement. And that will keep the profits coming in.
//Want to learn more and “Get Your Science On?” – check out Orange Photonics where we are helping businesses become more profitable. www.orangephotonics.com.