The government of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada has lifted the ban on the sale of marijuana e-cigarette products at the end of 2019, while still enforcing restrictions on the addition of non-marijuana flavors.
The government of Newfoundland and Labrador, together with the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC), which acts as the province's regulator and wholesaler of adult-use cannabis, has decided to introduce electronic vaping products to the market after reviewing the cannabis industry in Newfoundland, according to the Chief Marketing Officer of NLC, Peter Murphy.
Murphy wrote in a statement to MJBizDaily, "Given that e-cigarettes represent an important part of the illicit market, we believe this is a positive step in continuing to take market share away from illegal operators.
Please note that the use of flavored electronic cigarettes is prohibited, except for natural flavors and terpenes related to cannabis, in order to limit their appeal to young people.
This change has opened up a new but limited market for e-cigarettes: In September, Newfoundland was the second-smallest cannabis market among Canada's 10 provinces, with regulated recreational cannabis sales worth CAD 5.7 million (USD 4.2 million), accounting for approximately 1.5% of Canada's cannabis sales.
Pierre Killeen, Vice President of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for Canadian Cannabis Council (C3), an industry organization based in Ontario, stated that the Newfoundland government "should be commended for its decision to provide legal, tested, and controlled cannabis e-cigarette products.
This is in line with the public policy objective of legalization, including protecting public health and safety by eliminating illegal markets," he added.
Killeen commented on the restrictions placed by Newfoundland on the addition of marijuana flavored e-cigarettes.
Only time will tell the public policy and market impacts of this decision. Let us have faith and observe how it will play out.
In Canada, following the implementation of new regulations, legal electronic cigarettes and other marijuana-derived products, such as edibles and concentrates, began to hit the market at the end of 2019.
This release comes after a serious public health crisis related to cannabis e-cigarettes, primarily in the United States. This situation has caught the attention of Canadian authorities.
The provinces of Newfoundland and Quebec have banned the sale of electronic cigarettes, while Alberta has slightly delayed the launch of e-cigarettes.
The Quebec government-owned leisure cannabis monopoly, Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC), still does not sell electronic cigarettes.
Authorities have imposed additional restrictions on the consumption of marijuana and concentrated cannabis in the province, which has a more valuable market than Newfoundland. In September, recreational marijuana sales amounted to $49.7 million.
Killeen from C3 stated that Quebec can learn from experience and lessons on marijuana and e-cigarette products from other provinces and federal partners. By providing access to legalized and regulated marijuana and e-cigarette products, it can achieve the goal of harm reduction.
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