The Canadian cannabis market has grown exponentially over the past few years. Even in the middle of the pandemic, the demand for cannabis products hasn’t diminished. In 2020 alone, recreational cannabis sales in Canada totaled CA$2.6 billion. However, despite the expanding market and the rising popularity of cannabinoids, many users remain confused regarding the legality of different cannabis products, especially when it comes to edibles.
While many offline and online stores like Get Kush have edibles in their offers, regulations can make it unclear whether buying them is entirely legal. So, let’s dive into cannabis legality and see whether you can enjoy your favorite edibles without worries.
The legal status of edibles in Canada
Complex regulatory standards are some of the most significant legal obstacles for cannabis edibles since they can fall under different categories:
- Pharmaceuticals, presenting challenges for dosing and packaging regulations;
- Nutraceuticals, presenting challenges for nutraceutical regulations;
- Food product/supplements, presenting challenges for food safety regulations.
That’s why the Canadian government introduced new, cannabis-specific regulations that dictate the rigorous processes that need to be followed during the production and processing of edibles. Producers now need to submit their edibles to Health Canada for a thorough inspection, and only once the products are approved can they sell them legally to the public.
Some rules and regulations regarding edibles can differ from province to province, but in a nutshell, you can legally buy edibles in Canada.
The benefits of using edibles
Now that you know that you can buy edibles, a question remains – why would you want to? What are the benefits of edibles that make them such a popular cannabis product?
Except for their form, edibles are virtually the same as every other cannabis product. They can provide an abundance of benefits to the users and have the potential to improve your overall well-being.
Cannabis edibles have therapeutic properties that could help fight an array of mental and physical health conditions and their symptoms, including:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Chronic pain
- Arthritis pain
- Chemotherapy side effects
- Eating disorders
- IBS
- Epilepsy
Despite their therapeutic potential, it’s critical to treat cannabis edibles as food supplements, not medical treatments. They should never be used as a replacement for prescribed medication.
What kinds of edibles can you find in Canada?
Although most people think of brownies when they hear “cannabis edibles,” they come in various shapes and forms. “Edibles” refers to any food or drink that’s infused with cannabinoids, and vendors are offering an array of edible products that will suit anyone’s palette.
Some of the most popular edibles include:
- Gummies
- Cookies
- Brownies
- Peanut butter cups
- Chocolates
- Lollipops
- Syrups
- Teas
However, the best part of edibles is that you can make your own.
How to make your own edibles
Making cannabis edibles is a rather straightforward process since you can infuse cannabis into virtually any food or drink. All you need is some dry cannabis flower or cannabis oil to get started.
For beginners, it’s best to simply place a few drops of your favorite cannabis oil into a tea, coffee, or smoothie. You can even drizzle some cannabis oil over a salad (but keep in mind that cannabis oil has a bitter, earthy flavor).
If you want to cook or bake edibles, you just have to make sure that you’re not exposing cannabis to extreme temperatures. Cannabinoids can lose their potency when they’re exposed to high heat, so make sure that you’re not cooking them over temperatures higher than 320℉ (160℃). So, just determine your dose, keep the temperature low, and follow your favorite recipe. You can infuse cannabis into any food, so don’t be afraid to play around.
How edibles affect you
If you’re new to cannabis edibles, it’s critical to understand that edibles can have a unique effect on your body and mind. Their latency period is quite different from vapes or tinctures, and you’ll need to be careful not to eat too much.
Whereas vapes, for example, enter directly into your bloodstream through the lungs and take effect within 10 minutes, edibles first need to be digested and metabolized. Depending on your metabolism, it can take anywhere up to an hour until you start feeling the effects. And even then, it might take up to four hours for the peak effects to start. So, you’ll want to be patient and avoid taking another dose within this period of time. Otherwise, you could risk taking too much cannabis and experiencing side effects like nausea, fatigue, and dryness of the mouth.
Final thoughts
Cannabis edibles are quickly becoming the most popular cannabis product on the market. You can purchase them legally in Canada at any licensed offline or online store and enjoy all the benefits that they bring. Alternatively, you could even make your own edibles using dry flowers or cannabis oil.
Give edibles a try, and see whether they’re the right product for you.
