Five Takes for Cannabis in 2022🌱
As we welcome the fourth year of legalization, much has changed since October 2018. From home deliveries becoming a reality to having Canada's first culinary test kitchen and the inclusion of Indigenous cannabis, the industry keeps evolving.
Our preferences are expanding too, with the popularity of sublingual tabs and strips, tinctures and beverages (also known as "cannabis 2.0 products") seeing an increase in Canada this past year. Though flower sales have declined, it still remains the most popular category - perhaps a sign new adopters are slowly but surely experimenting with and integrating cannabis into their lives.
As we look forward to another year of change in cannabis, here are our five takes for cannabis in 2022.
1. Cannabis Around the World
With two large cannabis markets side-by-side, it's only a matter of time before Canada, and our neighbours in the United States will be able to trade much easier when it comes to ganja. Federal legalization in the United States remains a barrier, but with (painfully) slow progress and changes in more than 19 states with legal cannabis, the future is green.
Other notable countries making significant progress include Mexico and the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. In addition, Thailand announced in January they plan to delist cannabis as a narcotic, being the first Asian country to do so. If all goes well, maybe the rest of Southeast Asia will follow - Thai stick, anyone?
2.Advocacy for Expungements
The freedom legalization comes with is incredible for some, but many are still subjected to being treated like criminals. Not only this, past cannabis possession disproportionately affects BIPOC communities, with records not being wiped quickly.
Expungements for Canadians with criminal records for simple cannabis possessions were promised an immediate, free pardon. Still, only 484 people have been granted one so far since legalization, with approximately 10,000 eligible Canadians who could submit for a record suspension.
This is unfair to the people affected most, and a blanket expungement of criminal records is necessary to undo the damage of the past, now that legal businesses have been operating for four years. We're here to support cannabis amnesty, and it is a change we'd like to see pushed forward with priority.
3. Diversity through Indigenous Cannabis
In a step to diversify the legal cannabis industry to be inclusive of Indigenous communities, the province of B.C. launched the B.C. Indigenous Cannabis Product (BCICP) program this year.
To highlight cannabis products from B.C.-based Indigenous producers in private retail stores, B.C. Cannabis Stores and online, the program is set to help consumers easily find and access Indigenous products.
Developed in collaboration with the First Nations Leadership Council, we're looking forward to the changes this initiative will bring to the industry in years to come, hoping it will improve the sector's diversity.
4. Celebrating Community
Coming out of the pandemic, communities worldwide have been isolated to virtual events and on-screen networking. As borders start to ease and people move around, we welcome back various cannabis conferences this year. A place to cultivate ideas, share visions for the industry's future, and learn about the latest innovations, a few events we're looking forward to include the inaugural B.C. Cannabis Summit, organized by The Association of Canadian Cannabis Retailers and the B.C. Craft Farmers Co-Op. Lift & Co is back again in Toronto, along with Grow-Up Cannabis Conference's first show on the west coast in Victoria this June.
5. What We're Excited About
Innovations and developments within cannabis, from shifting consumer demographics and attitudes towards the plant to new facilities such as West Blvd's test kitchen, we're looking forward to new products and uses of cannabis within our lives. We've seen nano-emulsion beverage shots and cannabis lozenges to hash joints; we can't imagine what could come next.
Cannabis tourism, spurred by farmgate, is a space we're watching with anticipation. We know how great wineries and wine tours are, and it's about time we had the same experience with cannabis.
High we go! Happy 4/20, everyone, stay lifted <3 🌱✨
Stay on point, and get in touch with our team to learn more.
