Canada Updates Cannabis Law, Limits on Marijuana Beverages Tightened

Dec.14.2022
Canada Updates Cannabis Law, Limits on Marijuana Beverages Tightened
Canada updates Cannabis Act, with tighter limits on cannabis beverages and eased research requirements.

The Canadian Ministry of Health has completed revisions to the Cannabis Act, which now includes increased restrictions on the possession of cannabis beverages and relaxed requirements for research and testing.


According to an announcement by the Canadian Department of Health on December 9th, the amendment came into effect on December 2nd.


A copy of the final regulation and a statement on regulatory impact and analysis will be published in the second section of the Canada Gazette on December 21.


According to the announcement, the amendment incorporates feedback from stakeholders in the cannabis industry, universities, researchers, health authorities, trade associations, licensees, provinces, regions, and the public.


A new regulation has been implemented to increase public possession restrictions on marijuana drinks in order to align with other marijuana products. Adults are now allowed to possess a maximum of 17.1 liters (equivalent to 48,355 milliliter cans) for non-medical purposes.


Under previous Canadian regulations, adults were allowed to possess approximately 2.1 liters of cannabis beverage or roughly five 355-milliliter cans.


These amendments also aim to simplify marijuana research by altering the requirements for non-therapeutic studies involving human participants.


In addition, the new regulations allow holders of analytical testing licenses as well as federal and provincial government labs to produce, distribute and sell reference standards and testing kits in order to increase access to cannabis testing materials.


The amendment also expands the educational qualification requirements for laboratory directors, who hold a mandatory position in analytical testing laboratories responsible for all cannabis testing activities at the facility.


These latest amendments are part of Canada's ongoing efforts to improve the Cannabis Act, which came into effect in October 2018 and aims to legalize the production, distribution, sale, and possession of cannabis for adults aged 21 and over.


In September, the Canadian government announced that it has initiated a necessary review of the Cannabis Act to assess its impact on the illegal market, indigenous communities, and the economy.


Last month, government officials appointed a five-member expert panel responsible for conducting reviews.


The group will ultimately present recommendations to Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Deputy Minister of Health Carolyn Bennett on progress towards achieving the objectives of the Cannabis Act, which include protecting the health and safety of Canadians, establishing a diverse and competitive legal industry to replace the illegal market, and identifying areas for legal improvement.



Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

Product | PIXL Adds 6ml PIXL 5K in UK Alongside 12ml PIXL 8000 as Vape Duty Takes Effect
Product | PIXL Adds 6ml PIXL 5K in UK Alongside 12ml PIXL 8000 as Vape Duty Takes Effect
Vaping brand PIXL has introduced the PIXL 5K reusable prefilled pod device in the UK, featuring a 2ml prefilled pod and a 4ml refill container with a combined e-liquid capacity of 6ml. The device uses 20mg/ml nicotine salt e-liquid and is advertised to deliver up to approximately 5,000 puffs. Available through UK retailers by August 2026, the PIXL 5K sits alongside the existing 12ml PIXL 8000. The UK's Vaping Products Duty took effect on October 1 at £0.22 per millilitre, producing theoretical duty amounts of £1.32 and £2.64 for the two products' respective full refill sets.
product
Oct.10
Pennsylvania Lists 163 Vape Products Eligible for Sale, Including Vuse and JUUL; Previously Pending Chinese Brands Such as OXBAR Remain Absent, While Unlisted Products Including Geek Bar Face Enforcement From October 19
Pennsylvania Lists 163 Vape Products Eligible for Sale, Including Vuse and JUUL; Previously Pending Chinese Brands Such as OXBAR Remain Absent, While Unlisted Products Including Geek Bar Face Enforcement From October 19
Pennsylvania begins enforcing its electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) directory restrictions on October 19, 2026. The October 18 directory contained 163 product records from seven manufacturers, including Vuse, JUUL, NJOY, Logic and Naked 100. Geek Bar, RAZ and Lost Mary were absent. BAT, Altria, Japan Tobacco and JUUL collectively accounted for 112 records, or 68.7%, while Imperial Brands' blu had no listings. The directory included 15 disposable vape records, 40 bottled e-liquids and 10 products labeled 0mg, but no open-system refillable devices. Twenty-two manufacturer certifications remained under review. Four Logic models corresponding to Smoore's pending records were listed under the brand owner, while LYCO, OXBAR and Boulder/Rock had no approved directory entries.
Regulations
Oct.19
Special Report|Virginia Vape Directory Shows Contrast Between Vuse and JUUL Pod Systems and CrossBar 20K, Loon Flavored Disposables
Special Report|Virginia Vape Directory Shows Contrast Between Vuse and JUUL Pod Systems and CrossBar 20K, Loon Flavored Disposables
A 2Firsts analysis of Virginia's liquid nicotine and vapor product certification directory identified 213 product records from 15 manufacturers. Companies associated with BAT, Altria, Imperial Brands, JTI and JUUL account for 127 entries. The directory also includes independent brands CrossBar 20K, Loon and Breeze. CrossBar advertises a 13mL disposable capable of up to 20,000 puffs, while Loon has 16 disposable entries featuring fruit, cooling and beverage-related flavors. Of all records, 120 are labeled as under FDA PMTA review. Virginia introduced revised penalties on October 1, 2026, including a minimum first-violation civil penalty of $5,000 per unlisted product, alongside new retail tobacco permitting requirements.
Regulations
Oct.30
PMI Pushes Smoke-Free Business in Latin America as Argentina Lifts Heated Tobacco Ban, Mexico City Share Tops 7%
PMI Pushes Smoke-Free Business in Latin America as Argentina Lifts Heated Tobacco Ban, Mexico City Share Tops 7%
Philip Morris International (PMI) showcased IQOS heated tobacco systems and nicotine pouch products at Technovation 2026 in Buenos Aires on October 7–8, presenting research on consumer attitudes, regulatory developments and illicit cigarette trade across Latin America. PMI Chief Global Growth Officer Stefano Volpetti said smoke-free products accounted for more than 7% of the Mexico City market. Argentina repealed its heated tobacco ban in May 2026 and introduced registration requirements for tobacco and nicotine products, while local media reported nicotine pouch sales in Mendoza. A PMI-commissioned survey found that only 8% of respondents across four Latin American countries were familiar with nicotine pouches. A separate KPMG study estimated illicit cigarette consumption at 77 billion sticks across 11 markets in Latin America and Canada in 2025.
PMI
Oct.13
Hawaii's Largest Independent Vape Retailer and Wholesaler Volcano to Close All 13 Stores Ahead of 2027 Sales Rules
Hawaii's Largest Independent Vape Retailer and Wholesaler Volcano to Close All 13 Stores Ahead of 2027 Sales Rules
Hawaii-based vaping company Volcano eCigs plans to close all 13 physical retail stores on December 31, 2026, affecting approximately 56 employees. Volcano operates retail, wholesale, proprietary product and online sales businesses and has previously described itself in legislative testimony as Hawaii's largest independent vape retailer and wholesaler. Its operating company, Jocor Enterprises LLC, filed a formal closure notice on November 4, citing changes in the state's regulatory environment. From January 1, 2027, Hawaii will restrict the sale, acquisition and possession of vaping devices and e-liquids not listed in a state product directory, alongside separate restrictions on certain disposable devices. The closure concerns Volcano's physical retail network; the company has not announced the termination of wholesale or online operations.
Market
Nov.09
Global Nicotine-Pouch E-Commerce Group Haypp Shuts Sweden’s Snusnetto Over Age Verification as Identity Checks Become Industry Infrastructure for New Nicotine Products
Global Nicotine-Pouch E-Commerce Group Haypp Shuts Sweden’s Snusnetto Over Age Verification as Identity Checks Become Industry Infrastructure for New Nicotine Products
Sweden's Supreme Administrative Court has declined to hear an appeal over age verification for tobacco and nicotine products collected from parcel lockers, leaving in place a lower-court ruling that geo-located BankID verification is insufficient to securely verify the actual recipient. Haypp Group has stopped tobacco and nicotine sales through Snusnetto and is deploying a new system across its other Swedish e-commerce sites to verify the age of the person who actually opens the locker and receives the shipment. The change comes as age verification across next-generation nicotine products expands from purchase checks into retail, delivery and, for some e-cigarettes, device access itself.
Regulations
Oct.20