Think back to a moment in your life when you tried something spectacular for the very first time. This could be chocolate, getting your first paycheck, or even sex. The feelings that accompanied the event were almost as intoxicating as the act itself: palpable anticipation, unbridled excitement, and in many cases, extreme satisfaction when it was over.
You remember the feeling. That is what it’s currently like in Canada for the millions of people who have never tried a cannabis product that isn’t flower or concentrate.
Canadians recently made history on Oct. 17, 2018, when we were finally allowed to purchase legal recreational cannabis for the first time. That being said, the only products which were and still are permitted to be sold in licensed retail outlets are flower and oil.
The U.S. Loves Vape Pens and Edibles. So Will Canada.
Though there is no set date, it is expected within the coming months that cannabis products such as vape pens and edibles will integrate themselves into the legal Canadian cannabis marketplace. When that happens, consumers in the Great White North who choose to consume cannabis are about to enjoy a first-time experience like no other.
In California, the United States’ largest cannabis market, almost a quarter of sales from 2016 came from vape cartridges, according to a Business Insider report. Similar rates were tracked in other cannabis strongholds including Colorado, Washington, and Oregon.
And there are plenty of good reasons vape pens and edibles are incredibly popular.
First, there is no denying how convenient it is to simply screw a cartridge on to a pen battery and then puff away at your leisure. Second, most of these oils create either a fragrant smell that quickly dissipates and smells nothing like cannabis flower, if it leaves any odor at all. Lastly, some of these concentrates pack a real punch. When it comes to feeling the effects, newer cannabis users will notice that a little oil goes a long way.
Next, the incredible edible. Anyone that has lived in a recreational marijuana territory knows that nearly all food types have a marijuana-infused version. In Canada, edibles have been available in the gray market for quite some time. (My personal favorites include watermelon-flavored gummies, chocolate, and even soda pop), But for Canadians that have abstained from edibles until legalization, eating a good weed-brownie or drinking a marijuana-infused soda will bring about a vast and diverse new world.
More Consumer Types are Around the Corner
A 2017 study out of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia showed that 46 percent of Canadians want to try marijuana edibles once they are available and it doesn’t take a genius to realize why these products will be a dominant player in the overall Canadian cannabis landscape.
For starters, not everybody wants to smoke or inhale cannabis, as it does not feel comfortable for many people. Further, one needs to factor in that older generations of Canadians, who lived through the most rampant reefer madness, may not want to be seen by their friends and family smoking a joint. Discreetly having marijuana tea or a cookie is a fantastic way to keep cannabis use to oneself if that is a preference. And perhaps the most important reason: Edibles can have a much more powerful effect for longer periods of time, which means your dollar goes further and makes for a greater economic value.
Vape pens and edibles are simply the tip of the iceberg when discussing cannabis derivative products, but when Canadians get a hold of them for the first time, it will be an all-access pass to an awesome party that many of us never knew existed.
Jon Hiltz is the director of business development for INDIVA, a licensed cannabis producer based in London ON. Jon recently published his first book titled “The Wild West: Canada’s Legalization of Marijuana” which is available now.
This article was originally published by Marijuana.com.