In 2023, Health Canada announced it would launch a new data-gathering program for cannabis markets in Canada. The program would include sampling and testing of both legal and illegal products currently on the market.
Since that time, the federal health agency has told StratCann that it has started numerous projects as part of the program, including a comparative analysis of dried cannabis from 50 legal and 50 illegal samples. Health Canada intends to publish the results of this project on the Cannabis Laboratory page “in the coming months,” confirms a senior media relations advisor with the agency’s communications and public affairs branch via email.
Among its services, the federal Cannabis Laboratory provides analytical support for the compliance and enforcement activities of Health Canada’s Cannabis Inspection Program and analyzes samples submitted as part of compliance monitoring projects.
When it was announced, the agency said the new cannabis data-gathering program would allow it to “proactively collect information on the legal and illicit cannabis markets in Canada,” focusing on providing Canadians with more accurate info about cannabis health and safety risks.
The government has gathered data on the legal and illegal cannabis markets for several years. This newest approach represents a step towards more proactive data gathering on products in the market, both licit and illicit.
As part of the program, Health Canada’s Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch (ROEB) Cannabis Laboratory intended to randomly purchase cannabis products from authorized retailers in Canada and work with various law enforcement agencies to test samples of illicit cannabis products.
The federal health authority will publish reports on their findings, removing any references to product, brand, or license holder names.
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