The impending legalization of Cannabis is a hot topic across Canada, including the packaging / labelling industry. On March 19, Health Canada released the Proposed Approach to the Regulation of Cannabis-Summary of Comments Received During the Public Consultation. This was a response to the feedback received from the public, stakeholders, practitioners and other interested parties regarding the regulatory conditions, licensing and standards for labelling and packaging of cannabis and the cannabis supply chain.
This proposal also includes guidance on packaging and labelling provisions in order to prepare producers to sell cannabis compliantly once the Cannabis Act is finalized.
Summary of Requirements for Packaging and Labelling
- All cannabis products will require child-resistant and tamper-evident packaging;
- Use of graphics will be prohibited and restrictions will be placed on logos and branding;
- Packaging must be a single uniform colour and cannot be shiny, embossed or metallic;
- Immediate container will need to be opaque or translucent;
- Health warning messages will be required on the principle display panel (PDP) of all labels;
- The PDP must display a standardized stop sign symbol with a cannabis leaf and the word “THC”
- THC and CBD concentration will also be required on the PDP; and
- Other information, such as contact information, expiry date, lot number, etc. will also be required on the label.
The report also proposes that the final regulations will define thresholds for micro-scale licences as:
- Micro-cultivation licence: authorize the cultivation of a plant canopy area of no more than 200 square meters.
Micro-processing licence: authorize the processing of no more than 600 kg of dried cannabis (or equivalent) per year.
Thank-you to CHFA for the helpful summary!
For more information on the proposed packaging and labelling requirements for cannabis products and a summary of the comments received during the public consultation, click here.
