(Globe Newswire) Toronto — Avicanna Inc. a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of plant-derived cannabinoid-based products is pleased to announce the launch of RHO Phyto Micro Drop 100, a 10% CBD (THC free), proprietary oral formulation in Canada. RHO Phyto Micro Drop 100, is designed to deliver enhanced absorption of cannabinoids through an inverted emulsion technology. RHO Phyto Micro Drop 100 will be available to Canadian patients with medical authorization exclusively at the MyMedi.ca medical cannabiscare platform.
RHO Phyto Micro Drop 100 contains the same proprietary oral formulation as the product Trunerox™. Trunerox™ received drug approval in Colombia, earlier this year in February 2024, from the Colombian National Institute of Drug and Food Surveillance (El Instituto Nacional de Vigilancia de Medicamentos y Alimentos – INVIMA). Trunerox™ is approved by INVIMA in Colombia as a drug for the treatment for severe seizures related to Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and Dravet Syndrome. Trunerox™ has not been approved as a drug in Canada by Health Canada.
The company continues to support the advancement of research and development of plant-derived cannabinoid based products and continues to support the advancement of various scientific-medical initiatives. The company will be hosting its 4thMedical Symposium on cannabinoid-based medicine in the Canadian Healthcare System on May 13, 2024 for health care practitioners, scientists, researchers, and the medical community.
(CNW) Kingsville, Ont. — Greenway Greenhouse Cannabis Corporation, a cultivator of high-quality greenhouse cannabis for the Canadian market, is pleased to announce that the company’s recently released MillRite products are now available for purchase online through the Ontario Cannabis Store, and is also pleased to update the public on the steps it has taken to begin selling cannabis internationally.
Greenway has begun the process of getting a CUMS-GAP certificate and GACP certified, accreditation standards that are required to sell into a multitude of countries around the globe.
“Our team is thrilled to see our MillRite Lavender Haze pre-rolls available for sale through the Ontario Cannabis Store. This means that everyone in Ontario will now be able to try our most recent product drop either online or through their local cannabis shops, something we know many people are eagerly awaiting,” said president Carl Mastronardi.
“I am also happy to be able to give an update on our pursuit of expanding our wholesale cannabis sales to the international market,” said Jamie D’Alimonte, CEO. “After much consideration, we have decided to work with Control Union in an attempt to attain their CUMS-GAP certificate and GACP compliance certificate. We have already begun the accreditation process, and have entered into conversation with a few different international cannabis purchasers as well as some of our already established domestic partners who have established international sales routes, in anticipation of completing the process.”
Advertisement
The CUMS-GAP certificate and GACP compliance certificate, follows the WHO and EMA GACP guidelines.
An Albertan recently won an appeal to have their medical cannabis covered by Workers’ Compensation.
On March 19 of this year, the Appeals Commission for Alberta Workers’ Compensation reversed the 2023 Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) Dispute Resolution and Decision Review Body (DRDRB) decision.
That decision from 2023 ruled that the worker was not entitled to coverage for medical cannabis, based on a workplace accident in January 2011 in which the worker injured their ankle after falling on a patch of ice.
Throughout the claim, the WCB had accepted the worker’s claim for a left ankle fracture and Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), but in March 2015, a case manager denied the authorization of cannabis for medical purposes as it was considered a non-standard medical aid in use for treatment of chronic pain.
Then, upon further review, the WCB determined in March 2017 that the worker’s use of medical cannabis was, in fact, related to the injuries accepted under this claim.
“The worker told the panel that the medical cannabis does not take the pain away, but it allows him to function, to relax, and he is able to carry on a conversation with people.”
More than five years later, in September 2022, the WCB then informed the worker that any extension of the provision for medical cannabis after September 1, 2022, would be reviewed based on new policy criteria for authorization of medical cannabis.
For ongoing coverage, WCB requires a clinical reassessment to be conducted by the authorizing physician and confirmation of functional improvement every three months. WCB’s policy states that it will continue coverage if there is sufficient evidence that the cannabis is effective, measurable treatment goals are reached and maintained, and there are no adverse effects that outweigh the benefits of the cannabis.
Then, on February 16, 2023, following further reviews by WCB medical consultants, a WCB case manager ruled that the worker did have a designated condition named under the new policy criteria, but that the worker had exceeded the standard for maximum allowable THC content and maximum daily use, of three grams a day, with a maximum allowable THC content of 90 milligrams per gram or 9% THC.
Because of this determination, WCB ruled that the worker did not meet all the criteria that would allow the agency to authorize medical cannabis. That ruling was immediately appealed by the worker and upheld just a few days later before it was sent to the Dispute Resolution and Decision Review Body.
In their decision, the review body noted that the worker’s long-time physician had supported his use of cannabis to deal with his chronic pain from this accident, noting that the worker uses different amounts depending on his level of pain. The physician argued that his patient represented an exception to the WCB’s rules of no more than 3 grams a day at no more than 9% THC.
The physician also indicated the worker had not used cannabis prior to his injury and had only tried it after conventional treatment for his pain did not work. He described himself as feeling like a “zombie” before trying medical cannabis, according to the review board’s ruling.
“The worker told the panel that the medical cannabis does not take the pain away, but it allows him to function, to relax, and he is able to carry on a conversation with people,” states the final ruling. “It has allowed him to have a normal relationship with his wife, family, and friends. He is aware enough of what dose and route he requires to prepare himself for outings and interactions and events such as the hearing.”
The man says he has been using four grams per day for approximately five years without limits on THC or CBD, following the guidance of his doctor. He generally smokes but occasionally vapes dried flower, because edible products are often too expensive. He also uses edibles in the form of gummies, as well as topical gels and patches. Although he uses THC products, the majority of the products he consumes are primarily CBD-rich.
Following the WCB ruling that said he was consuming more cannabis than necessary, the man also worked with his physician to lower his daily intake of cannabis, which resulted in an inability to eat or sleep due to the pain.
Following these results, it was his physician who then advised him to go back to his usual dosages and modes of consumption.
In its final ruling, the review panel found that the majority of the evidence supports the worker’s use of medical cannabis under the WCB’s criteria in WCB Policy 04-06, Part II, Application 6, Question 8.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn learned the hard way the horrendous consequences of the ruling State’s tyranny. He refused to obey and comply, and did not bow to the State’s mandates. His words express great passion and determination in efforts to warn others of their fate should they not resist rule. All can learn valuable lessons from his words of wisdom. These are a few of his thoughts from his release of the text of his essay, “Live Not By Lies,” on February 12, 1974, the day he was arrested and exiled to West Germany.
“We are approaching the brink; already a universal spiritual demise is upon us; a physical one is about to flare up and engulf us and our children, while we continue to smile sheepishly and babble:
“But what can we do to stop it? We haven’t the strength.”
“We have so hopelessly ceded our humanity that for the modest handouts of today we are ready to surrender up all principles, our soul, all the labors of our ancestors, all the prospects of our descendants—anything to avoid disrupting our meager existence. We have lost our strength, our pride, our passion. We do not even fear a common nuclear death, do not fear a third world war (perhaps we’ll hide away in some crevice), but fear only to take a civic stance! We hope only not to stray from the herd, not to set out on our own, and risk suddenly having to make do without the white bread, the hot water heater, a Moscow residency permit.”
“We have internalized well the lessons drummed into us by the state; we are forever content and comfortable with its premise: we cannot escape the environment, the social conditions; they shape us, “being determines consciousness.” What have we to do with this? We can do nothing.”
“But it will never come unstuck by itself, if we all, every day, continue to acknowledge, glorify, and strengthen it, if we do not, at the least, recoil from its most vulnerable point. From lies.”
“And thus, overcoming our timidity, let each man choose: Will he remain a witting servant of the lies (needless to say, not due to natural predisposition, but in order to provide a living for the family, to rear the children in the spirit of lies!), or has the time come for him to stand straight as an honest man, worthy of the respect of his children and contemporaries?”
“And so: We need not be the first to set out on this path, Ours is but to join! The more of us set out together, the thicker our ranks, the easier and shorter will this path be for us all! If we become thousands—they will not cope, they will be unable to touch us. If we will grow to tens of thousands—we will not recognize our country!”
“But if we shrink away, then let us cease complaining that someone does not let us draw breath—we do it to ourselves! Let us then cower and hunker down, while our comrades the biologists bring closer the day when our thoughts can be read and our genes altered.”
“And if from this also we shrink away, then we are worthless, hopeless, and it is of us that Pushkin asks with scorn:”
Ontario is planning to add $31 million to its budget to address illegal cannabis stores and websites operating in the province.
As part of Ontario’s Budget 2024, it says it plans to provide the funds over three years to the Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team (PJFCET).
The PJFCET is led by the Ontario Provincial Police’s centralized enforcement unit, which targets illegal cannabis storefronts. This investment, says the province, would enable the PJFCET to “respond to the challenge of illegal online operators and crack down further on the production, sale and distribution of illegal cannabis in the online and offline space.”
Toronto City Council recently passed a motion asking the province to undertake a comprehensive review of the Provincial Cannabis Control Act, 2017. The motion says a review is “imperative to ensure the effective regulations and enforcement of cannabis-related matters” in Ontario.
Municipalities need more tools and resources to address these illegal cannabis businesses, the motion continues, including “exploring options to strengthen enforcement measures, increase penalties for non-compliance, and improve collaboration between municipalities and provincial authorities.
“I think $31 million could be spent in a better way than prohibition enforcement.”
In a recent interview with City News, Carleton Grant, Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards at the City of Toronto, says that while many illicit cannabis shops shuttered voluntarily in the first few years of legalization, new illegal stores have been popping up.
Grant says there are currently 53 illegal, unlicensed cannabis stores now operating in Toronto and 215 legal ones (The AGCO currently lists 204 stores as being authorized to open in Toronto).
Raj Grover, the founder and CEO of High Tide Inc., which operates 58 legal cannabis stores in Ontario, says he is happy to see the province looking to address these types of businesses, especially online stores.
“I welcome the Ford Government’s decision to take aggressive action against illegal online cannabis dispensaries, who blatantly target kids and sell unsafe products,” says Grover. “Today’s move makes it clear that Ontario is committed to safety and supporting its legal cannabis industry. We look forward to continuing to work with Attorney General Downey and Minister Bethlenfalvy on further legislative and regulatory reform to help bolster Ontario’s regulated cannabis sector as it continues to convert consumers away from a resilient illicit market.”
Jennawae Cavion, however, founder of Calyx + Trichomes in Kingston and the Executive Director of Norml Canada, says she thinks the money could be better spent on assisting the legal industry instead of on shutting down illegal stores, especially given how easily these stores and websites can open up again.
“I think that they need to invest in ways to make the cannabis industry more sustainable and more inclusive so that there’s no reason for unregulated suppliers to want to exist,” Cavion tells StratCann. “I think $31 million could be spent in a better way than prohibition enforcement.”
Given the challenges legal store owners face in trying to follow all the rules to stay compliant, she says she understands why many operating in the illicit space are not interested in closing down or transitioning.
“There’s a lot of hurdles that we still need to jump over, as legal retailers. That $31 million would go a long way to helping instead of going after people who can just open up again the next day.”
The push for more resources to address illicit sales, especially online stores, echoes a similar call for action from the federal government’s expert panel that looked at the federal cannabis legislation.
The report said, in part, that the federal government should consider creating authorities to force internet service providers to block illicit cannabis websites and to compel financial service operators to provide financial information that helps identify illicit online operators. It also called on law enforcement to “focus its efforts on the activities of organized crime and criminal networks, the diversion of cannabis from sites registered for personal and designated production, the proliferation of retail stores on First Nations reserves operating without provincial, territorial, or community authorization, and illicit online sellers,” and noted that regulatory authorities have a role to play in combating the illicit market, not just law enforcement.
The provincial budget also shows that Ontario brought in $310 million from its share of provincial excise on cannabis sales, with $344 million expected in 2023-24 and $379 million in 2024-2025. The Ontario Cannabis Store brought in another $234 million in 2022-2023, with $242 expected and $225 million.
New Brunswick is changing its provincial rules to more aggressively target illegal cannabis stores.
The provincial government has introduced amendments to its Cannabis Control Act with the goal of increasing compliance with provincial rules, reducing the sale of illegal cannabis, and preventing young people from consuming the drug.
Once passed, the proposed amendments to the act and its regulation would give inspectors more authority and increase fines for those operating illegal dispensaries and their landlords. They have been introduced as Bill 29, An Act Respecting Cannabis Control Act.
“Greater compliance is required to ensure the product is regulated and to keep it out of the hands of youth.”
Health Minister Bruce Fitch
The bill makes some proposed changes to the Act, such as adding new definitions and including language addressing landlords that knowingly allow the illegal sales of cannabis to operate on their property and giving enforcement officers the ability to enter and inspect any place, premises, or vehicle to which the Act applies, or any other place or premises connected to such business.
It also allows inspectors to purchase and inspect any products they come across as part of their investigations and gives greater authority to seize property and conduct inspections.
Inspectors would be given the power to seize items they believe are evidence of an offence under the act and allow those items to be forfeited to the Crown for disposal following a conviction.
“It is an offence to operate an illegal cannabis dispensary, and amendments are needed to strengthen the province’s ability to enforce penalties and investigate,” said Health Minister Bruce Fitch. “Greater compliance is required to ensure the product is regulated and to keep it out of the hands of youth.”
Fitch said the proposed amendments align with legislation in other Canadian jurisdictions.
This fiscal year, peace officers in New Brunswick say they have investigated and shut down 23 illegal cannabis dispensaries across the province.
The much-anticipated introduction of cannabis consumption lounges in Las Vegas has finally materialized, with almost 20 establishments reportedly nearing completion, according to regulators. Thrive Cannabis Marketplace opened its first licensed lounge next to its store, just off the renowned Las Vegas Strip, while Smoke and Mirrors Cannabis Lounge opened for business later, having passed the last site inspection by Nevada’s Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB).
For Reset, a marijuana hospitality company with offices in Las Vegas that offered advice to Thrive, the trip took around seven years, according to managing partner Chris LaPorte. The schedule was further extended by bureaucratic procedures, construction delays and regulatory obstacles. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic severely hampered advancement.
However, the majority of these difficulties appear to be resolved now that multiple operators are awaiting CCB’s final certification to launch their consumption lounges. The anticipation surrounding the establishment of consumption spaces in Las Vegas has been building for years, with some having hoped to launch as early as 2022 and others last summer.
However, up until last month, the NuWu Cannabis Marketplace, situated on tribal land near downtown Las Vegas, stood as the sole legal lounge in Nevada.
The proliferation of lounges faced setbacks in 2023 due to stringent regulations concerning smoke ventilation, necessitating substantial investments in advanced HVAC systems by operators. The CCB eventually relaxed air-ventilation requirements for lounges in June 2023. Air quality worries in the industry appear to have since subsided.
Smoke and Mirrors took measures to minimize smoke within its premises, offering alternative consumption methods and premium accessories such as Stündenglass gravity bongs and Chill Steel Pipes. The lounge’s 1,200-square-foot space boasts mid-century modern décor reminiscent of classic Vegas aesthetics. Since its opening on February, it has attracted an average of 80 visitors daily, with an equal split between tourists and locals.
The lounge’s menu includes various products, including dabs, pre-rolls and flower eighths, priced between $20 and $75. Visitors are prohibited from bringing their own marijuana products or accessories into the lounge, and purchases cannot be taken outside the venue.
LaPorte highlighted the establishment’s focus on offering marijuana-infused mocktails, which have proven popular among patrons. The venue’s mocktail menu features marijuana-infused versions of classic drinks, with options ranging from 2.5 to 5 milligrams of THC, priced between $19 and $23.
An estimated 60 to 65 licenses were predicted to be granted when Nevada officials approved consumption lounge regulations in June 2022. As the countdown to 420 (April 20, 2024) approaches, numerous Nevada lounges are nearing final approval, with 18 businesses currently in the final stages of preparation.
Leading cannabis companies such as Cresco Labs Inc. (CSE: CL) (OTCQX: CRLBF) are likely to keep a close eye on the way the consumption lounges transform the industry in Las Vegas because there may be valuable lessons to learn should this trend spread to other states and jurisdictions.
About CNW420
CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of an article each business day at 4:20 p.m. Eastern – a tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. The concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.
To receive SMS alerts from CNW, text CANNABIS to 888-902-4192 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com/Disclaimer
Auxly Cannabis Group Inc. had record net revenues of $101.1 million in 2023 and a net loss of $44.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.
The cannabis producer’s newest annual report also shows a net income of $3.9 million compared to a net loss of $66 million in the previous year.
Cost of sales for the company also declined in 2023 compared to the year prior, and fourth-quarter net revenues were $26.9 million, a $2.2 million increase from the same quarter in the previous year.
The company incurred over $50 million in federal excise in 2023, up from $44 million in 2022.
Hugo Alves, CEO, says that 2023 was a pivotal year for Auxly.
“Thanks to a tremendous team effort, we achieved our profitability targets despite overall industry and macro-economic headwinds. For the first time in our corporate history, we achieved full year adjusted EBITDA profitability; broke one hundred million dollars in net revenue; and generated positive cash flow from operations. We focused and optimized our business, resulting in meaningful cost savings and industry-leading margins, all done while delivering quality products and meeting the ongoing demands of our consumers.”
Net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023, were $101.1 million compared to $94.5 million during the same period in 2022, an increase of 7%.
Revenues for 2023 were primarily from sales of dried flower and pre-rolls (61%, up from 42% in 2022), with the rest coming from sales of oils and Cannabis 2.0 products like vapes. Net revenues also included wholesale bulk flower sales of approximately $15.7 million in 2023.
On December 31, 2023, the Company had total cash and cash equivalents of $15,608,000 negative working capital of $40,984,000 and cash flow provided by operating activities of $8,214,000 for the year ended December 31, 2023.
The company’s financial report also says that it will have “insufficient cash to fund its operations for the next 12 months if the Company’s sales do not improve or if they decline; if the Company’s margins do not improve, or if they decline and/or if the Company’s selling, general and administrative expenses increase.”
The cannabis industry is often compared to alcohol in that the two have experienced periods of prohibition and are both now legally available, though highly regulated and taxed.
As well, during their respective prohibitionist periods, both alcohol and cannabis generated significant economic activity.
For example, Canada’s Bronfman family, one of the most successful in the country’s history, made a fortune selling distilled spirits to organized crime during prohibition. This criminal enterprise transitioned seamlessly into the legal market, birthing the Seagram Company.
Alcohol represented about $6.3 billion in healthcare costs, compared to $381 million for cannabis.
By comparison, cannabis has suffered from years of demonization that has made the post-legalization road rockier. The distorting effects of stigmatization, a cautionary regulatory environment, a burdensome tax regime, and speculative capital, have all presented unique challenges.
Where do we stand now? Both industries provide employment and generate significant revenue, but the governance business models vary, and the societal costs are dramatically different.
In Alberta, for example, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC) regulates both alcohol and recreational cannabis. In 2023, the AGLC registered $850 million in alcohol net revenue and $38 million in expenses, with other revenue bringing the total to $825 million. By comparison, net cannabis revenue was $60 million, with $49 million in expenses. With other revenue added, cannabis turned an $18 million profit.
Why would cannabis expenses be 29% more than those for alcohol when alcohol net revenues are more than 14 times higher than cannabis?
“The variance is mainly due to the differences in the Alberta liquor and cannabis system models,” says Karin Campbell, a spokesperson with the AGLC. “AGLC is the wholesaler for non-medical cannabis in addition to regulating and distributing cannabis on behalf of the Alberta Government. Alberta’s liquor model is privatized—liquor retailing, warehousing and distribution are all managed by the private liquor industry.”
This helps explain the $558 million cost of sales for cannabis, though at over 90% of revenue, that’s steep. That said, in Alberta, cannabis expenses are 7.9% of the top-line revenue of $619 million, which is favourable compared to other provinces.
In Ontario, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) has both a wholesale and a retail role. Though Ontario allows for a varied retail model for beer and wine, the LCBO is still the largest alcohol retailer in Canada.
The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS), by comparison, has a legal monopoly as the province’s recreational cannabis wholesaler but has no stores itself, much like the AGLC.
Last year, the LCBO reported revenue of $7.41 billion and net income of $2.46 billion, with $1.19 billion in expenses. All told, expenses represented 16.1% of revenue.
By comparison, the OCS reported revenue of $1.47 million, a net income of $234.2 million, and selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses of $103 million. Here, expenses represent 7% of top-line revenue and are in line with Alberta’s 7.9%.
“As the sector becomes more stable, the OCS’s SG&A expenses have stabilized to align with industry growth,” says Amanda Winton, an OCS spokesperson. “As a result, the OCS is starting to experience more consistent SG&A spending as a percentage of revenue year over year.”
In Manitoba, the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corp. (MLLC) sources and distributes recreational cannabis to private retailers. Government-run liquor stores operate in urban areas, with some private beer and wine vendors. Remote communities are served by private retailers.
Last year, the MLLC had liquor revenue of $884 million, with cost of sales of $420 million and operating expenses of $115 million. By comparison, cannabis revenue was $131 million, with cost of sales at $97 million and operating expenses of only $2.1 million.
In Manitoba, then, the direct ratio of cannabis expenses to top-line revenue is only 1.6%, whereas for alcohol, it is 13%. However, cannabis cost of sales represents 71% of total revenue—still less than Alberta—whereas for alcohol, it is 47.5%.
British Columbia has a hybrid public-private model for cannabis, with the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) operating standalone retail stores alongside private retailers, both of which procure their products from the government. The LDB has provincially owned liquor stores and wholesales to private stores.
The LDB had $3.87 billion in revenue last year, of which cannabis represented $485.6 million. The LDB doesn’t break out expense ratios for alcohol and cannabis; instead, it reports an overall expense ratio of 14% of total sales.
This is a common practice with smaller provinces, too, where government-run corporations wholesale both liquor and cannabis.
In Nova Scotia, for example, the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) controls the sale and distribution of both cannabis and alcohol. In 2023, the NSLC had $861 million in sales, with the cost of sales at $433 million (51.5% of gross revenue) and operating expenses of $148 million (17.2% of gross revenue).
“Because our beverage alcohol and cannabis operations are so integrated, we don’t break down and separate the operating expenses,” says Allison Himmelman, a spokesperson for the NSLC.
For example, according to a thorough study by the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR), in 2020 (more recent data is not yet available), alcohol represented 40.1% of the total social cost of substance use in Canada at $19.7 billion.
By comparison, cannabis represented a social cost of $2.38 billion, or 4.9%.
Specifically, alcohol represented about $6.3 billion in healthcare costs, compared to $381 million for cannabis. Alcohol also accounted for $7.869 billion in lost productivity, and cannabis $491 million. In both of these examples, alcohol is over 16 times more costly to society than cannabis.
Alcohol use also resulted in the greatest costs to the criminal justice system, at nearly $4 billion, or 39.8% of all criminal justice costs. By comparison, cannabis was one-quarter of that, costing just over $1 billion.
“The alcohol deficit was $6.4 billion in 2020 when accounting for both revenue and social cost from Canadian substance use costs and harms,” says Adam Sherk, Senior Scientist and Special Policy Advisor at the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. “That was an all-time high in real dollar terms.”
Though alcohol is clearly the bigger problem, cannabis remains in a “social deficit.” Statistics Canada reported that in fiscal 2021–2022, total tax revenue at all levels of government was about $1.5 billion, a deficit of $880 million from the estimated 2020 social cost of $2.38 billion.
“The [cannabis] costs are only low compared to the high healthcare-related costs of alcohol and tobacco,” Sherk says. “As prevalence of use and intensity of use increase, we would expect broad increases in cannabis-caused healthcare costs across all healthcare categories.”
That said, given the growth in the cannabis industry and the new-found profitability of some government wholesalers who appear to have their expenses under control, it’s entirely possible that cannabis could turn its social deficit into a surplus.
This would create an odd scenario for researchers and policymakers alike and make the government’s preferential treatment of alcohol all the more difficult to rationalize.
Recent Comments