The Charter of the French language and its regulations govern the consultation of English-language content.
The Charter of the French language and its regulations govern the consultation of English-language content.
When you buy a dried whole flower or ground cannabis product from the SQDC, do you find the label hard to understand? Do you find there’s so much information you don’t know what to look for? That’s not surprising, because cannabis producers have to comply with more than a dozen packaging guidelines issued by Health Canada.
To make things a bit clearer and help you make an informed choice, we’ve prepared the following list of five key points.
To ensure you know exactly what you are consuming and the effects you could potentially experience, suppliers may state the product category (Indica, Sativa or hybrid) on the packaging in addition to the brand name.
The effects of Indica products are usually described as calming, relaxing and causing drowsiness. For their part, Sativa products are usually described as being energizing, euphoria-inducing and mentally stimulating. Hybrid products typically provide a mix of Indica and Sativa effects.
Despite what some people claim, the effects of a given cannabis product depend much more on its cannabinoid content and the person using it than on the product category.
The THC and CBD levels shown on the product label let you know exactly how much of each compound is contained in the dried flower or ground cannabis products you buy. Labels always list two figures for the THC as well as for the CBD.
The first entry (THC total 257.8 mg/g) refers to the total THC and CBD, representing the amount of cannabinoids in the cannabis when heated to a temperature of at least 150°C. The following value (7.8 mg/g) indicates the amount of active cannabinoids contained in the cannabis at the time of purchase. It is therefore recommended to rely on the first value given, as it is the one that will actually be released when the product is consumed.
Since legalization, producers have been listing the THC and CBD levels as percentages. As of October 2020, all new products packaged by the producer will show the level as milligrams per gram.
To transform the new required unit (mg/g) into a percentage, simply divide the number of milligrams per gram by 10. For example, for a product that contains 257.8 mg/g of THC, you divide 257.8 by 10, which gives 25.78. The product therefore contains 25.78% THC.
Important! This calculation works only for dried and ground cannabis products. It doesn’t work for pre-rolleds or derivatives. Don’t hesitate to ask one of our advisors for assistance.
To help customers choose the right product, the SQDC has created an average THC intensity scale that is shown on the information page for every product available on SQDC.ca and in our stores. On this scale, the intensity (strength) of a product that contains an average 0.1% to 10% or 1 mg/g to 100 mg/g THC is moderate, which is ideal for first-time or infrequent users. Products with between 10.1% and 20% or 101 mg/g and 200 mg/g THC are classified as medium intensity while products between 20.1% and 30% or 201 mg/g and 300 mg/g THC are considered strong. Note that this scale is based on the product’s average THC level and, while it is useful as a general guide, the THC level shown on the product is the more accurate figure for the product you’ve bought.
On each product you will find a lot number that starts with the wording “Lot number,” “Lot No.,” “Lot” or “(L)” and is followed by a figure. Producers are required to include this number, which precisely identifies the lot (batch) the product you bought comes from.
You will find the number useful if a producer ever recalls a product or if your product is defective and you want to report it to the SQDC. In such cases, if you bought the product online, contact the Customer Relations Center. If you bought the product in a store, you can return it to the same store.
The date on which the cannabis was packaged – not harvested – appears on the product label. Health Canada does not require that producers include a best-before date on their products, and several producers don’t.
Remember that cannabis products don’t really have a best-before date because they are always usable, even if left at the back of the drawer for a couple of years. Of course, a two-year-old product won’t be nearly as fresh as it was when first opened, especially if it hasn’t been stored with a humidity control pack in the container.
The stamp is not part of the label but is attached to the container or external packaging (box) so that it will be torn when the product is opened. Each province has its own stamp.
When you see a stamp, you know that the excise tax on cannabis has been paid to the government. The stamp also confirms that the product is legal and has not been tampered with. In short, it guarantees that no one has opened the product from the time of packaging until it arrives in your hands. Note, however, that products with a low THC content are not required to have an excise tax stamp.
Producers are also required to package their products in containers that meet all Health Canada criteria. For example, containers must be opaque, air-tight (odourless) and child-proof.
Overpackaging is an issue for customers and the SQDC alike. That is why we have asked our suppliers of dried flower products to reduce their packaging and container sizes. Several have already stopped using secondary packaging and most of the others have a clear plan for doing so by the end of 2020.
In addition, a pilot project for recovering cannabis containers for other uses has been under way in several SQDC stores since May 2020. Assuming the results are positive, we plan to expand the initiative throughout the store network.
Until then, you can put our product packaging in any selective collection recycling bin. Nearly all our containers are recyclable, including those made from plastic, which are usually grade 1 and 5.
The SQDC sells a range of quality cannabis products with a lower risk level, all of which have been authorized by Health Canada.
Relaxing, stimulating and mood-altering: cannabis can have effects that are pleasant or undesirable. Learn what causes the effects and determines how intense they are and how long they last.
Are you or a friend or family member dealing with a problem related to cannabis use? Several assistance resources are available to you. Take advantage of them!