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.

China Tobacco Hubei explores staged nicotine pouch delivery, using dynamic membranes to slow early release and gradient particles to sustain later delivery
China Tobacco Hubei explores staged nicotine pouch delivery, using dynamic membranes to slow early release and gradient particles to sustain later delivery
China Tobacco Hubei Industrial Co., Ltd. disclosed several oral nicotine-related patent applications in August 2026, including two that approach staged nicotine release from different directions. One uses a high-viscosity membrane that forms inside the pouch after contact with saliva to slow rapid early release, while the other uses gradient particles with a faster-disintegrating outer layer and a slower core to create a fast-to-sustained release profile. Together, the filings explore how nicotine pouches could balance initial delivery with release later in use.
Sep.03
South Korea Imports 12,126 Kg of Nicotine Analogues From April to August After Bringing Synthetic Nicotine Under Tobacco Law
South Korea Imports 12,126 Kg of Nicotine Analogues From April to August After Bringing Synthetic Nicotine Under Tobacco Law
South Korea's liquid-vape market is showing changes across raw-material imports, product types and sales channels after synthetic nicotine came under the Tobacco Business Act on April 24. Customs data show nicotine-analogue imports totaled 12,126 kilograms from April through August, while synthetic-nicotine imports over the same five months totaled 231,663 kilograms, just 39.3% of the amount imported in March alone. Physical liquid-vape stores tracked in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province fell 9.9%, unmanned outlets edged higher and online sales listings increased from 27,774 to 42,437. Government testing of 105 liquid inhalation products promoted as nicotine-free separately found nicotine in 13 and 6-methylnicotine in 12.
Sep.22
Couche-Tard Posts Double-Digit U.S. Same-Store Growth in Other Nicotine Products, Led by Pouches
Couche-Tard Posts Double-Digit U.S. Same-Store Growth in Other Nicotine Products, Led by Pouches
Alimentation Couche-Tard said U.S. same-store sales in its “other nicotine products” category grew at a double-digit rate in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, led by nicotine pouches, while overall U.S. same-store merchandise revenues increased 1.7%. The company also said its Canadian nicotine business continued to face regulatory pressure and illicit-market headwinds. The U.S. performance coincides with Couche-Tard's participation in efforts to reopen Canadian convenience-store access to authorized nicotine pouches, though the company has not established a direct causal link between the two.
Sep.14
Swedish Match Faces Broader Labeling Order After ZYN Inspection, Documents Obtained by 2Firsts Show
Swedish Match Faces Broader Labeling Order After ZYN Inspection, Documents Obtained by 2Firsts Show
Documents obtained by 2Firsts show that Sweden's Public Health Agency ordered Swedish Match to revise ingredient labels beyond the five ZYN products inspected. The dispute centers on whether flavoring ingredients must be individually disclosed, with Swedish Match citing trade-secret protection and the regulator insisting on full ingredient disclosure. The company faces a conditional penalty of SEK 2 million per month for noncompliance. As of October 22, the agency had received no appeal, despite the company's stated intention to challenge the decision.
Oct.22
Product | JT Refreshes Ploom CUBE Design and Expands Japan Retail Distribution, Targeting Younger Men and Female Users
Product | JT Refreshes Ploom CUBE Design and Expands Japan Retail Distribution, Targeting Younger Men and Female Users
Japan Tobacco (JT) launched a refreshed Ploom CUBE design in Japan on September 8, 2026, with broader convenience-store and tobacco-retail distribution planned from October 13. The updated device retains the existing Rounded Cube form and heating platform while replacing four previous body colors with Pebble White and Cobalt Black. JT is also introducing new Front Panels and Fabric Back Covers, although the new accessories are not compatible with the previous Ploom CUBE design. The company says the update is intended to broaden appeal among younger male and female users.
Sep.09
Ukraine Raises Excise Stamp Fees for Tobacco, Heated Tobacco and Vape Liquids by 30.5% as Parliament Backs E-Excise Delay to 2027
Ukraine Raises Excise Stamp Fees for Tobacco, Heated Tobacco and Vape Liquids by 30.5% as Parliament Backs E-Excise Delay to 2027
Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution No. 1259 on October 15, 2026, increasing excise stamp production fees for tobacco products and e-cigarette liquids by approximately 30.5%, from UAH 0.1643 to UAH 0.2144 per stamp. Fees for alcoholic beverages rose by about 30.2%. Separately, Ukraine's parliament passed Bill No. 15532 on October 13, proposing to postpone the full implementation of electronic excise stamps and traceability for alcohol, tobacco and e-cigarette liquids from November 1, 2026, to July 1, 2027. Parliament cited additional testing, configuration and integration requirements. The bill was sent to the president for signature on October 19.
Regulations
Oct.21