Christmas trees and lobsters are two of Nova Scotia’s most important exports. But it is also known for its cannabis industry that no one will tell you about.
Nova Scotia is one of four Maritime provinces in Canada. It contains four UNESCO World Heritage Sites surrounded by beautiful flora and 13000 miles of coastline. Among its traditional industries are fishing, mining, forestry, tourism, and the rising CBD industry.
Recreational cannabis became legal in many Canadian provinces in October 2018. Since then, people wanted to taste the constitutional weed. But legalization is much more than buying it from the store.
However, the cannabis sector thrived, and several CBD stores opened in Halifax alone in 2019. The newest data on cannabis sales in Nova Scotia will astound you. According to Nova Scotia Liquor Corp. (NSLC), it was 13.1 Million USD in the 2018 fiscal year. According to reports, around 23% of inhabitants smoked cannabis.
Nova Scotia is a government-run province, and NSLC is the region’s sole licensed cannabis distributor. It has 12 cannabis outlets in 2018, which will rise to 45 by 2022, plus internet stores.
You can imagine how quickly Nova Scotia’s CBD industry is expanding. In Nova Scotia, like in many other jurisdictions, the legal age for purchasing and consuming cannabis is over 19 years. There are 38 licensed producers in the province and producers from Brunswick, Ontario, and Alberta. This sector recorded sales of 95.5 million USD in 2021, with 3% of the legal cannabis use.
Retail cannabis sales increased by $8 million in 2020, then fell to $7 million in February 2022 before rebounding to $9 million in July. Total sales in 2020 were 95.5 million dollars and 104.6 million dollars in 2022. This data reveals that the Nova Scotia cannabis market has grown steadily.
Nova Scotia is Canada’s Cannabis Provenance
Nova Scotia has a long history with cannabis that extends back 400 years. When Europeans colonized Canada, initially came to the east coast with agricultural and fishing expertise. Horticulture was a trade at the time.
Nova Scotia’s weed relationship is from 1606 when a French Botanist named Louis Herbert planted cannabis in the state. He was the first person to farm in Canada, and that is how weed production started in Canada.
At that time, cannabis was a commodity. But this peaked during the 1850s and 90s, when F.W. Goodwin, a Nova Scotia physician, lectured about the benefits of the plant for migraines, depression, and stomach problems.
The Maritime Medical News published a Goodwin article in 1898— Patients felt better after half an hour to three hours after taking a dose of cannabis.
William Oscar, an acclaimed Canadian doctor, supported Goodwin’s results in 1916. In 1923, marijuana was explicitly under the Drug Prohibition Act.
Current Legal Status of CBD in Nova Scotia
The federal government has now legalized the recreational use of cannabis. Furthermore, Nova Scotia has one of the greatest per capita cannabis users in the United States. CBD products available in Nova Scotia include topicals, edibles, dried cannabis, oil, and tinctures.
Nova Scotia Cannabis Law:
CBD is available in Nova Scotia in online and offline stores. The Cannabis Act governs medical marijuana. There are many rules related to cannabis consumption, but buying it from authorized stores under medical prescription is legal.
It is useful in chronic pain, arthritis, sleep difficulties, anxiety, depression, gastrointestinal troubles, migraines, spinal injuries, PTSD, and other conditions.
The legal manufacture, sale, and use of cannabis in Nova Scotia regulates the NSLC, and it is accessible in edible, topical, and dry forms.
The legal amount of cannabis is 30 grams of dried cannabis per person. For edible foods, 1 gram is equal to 15 grams. For drinks, 1 gram equals 79 grams, and solid concentrates of 1 gram equals 0.25 grams.
10 Best CBD Stores in Nova Scotia
NSLC Cannabis
This store has been a government-run shop since 1930, whose 100% profit goes to the public sector. It has knowledgeable staff and a friendly environment.
Address- 5540, Clyde St, Halifax, Canada
Phone no- +19024236716
NSLC Signature
The NSLC Signature store has managed the sales of alcohol and cannabis across the state since 1930.
Address- 3601, Joseph Howe Dr, Halifax, Canada
Phone no- +19024552948
NSLC Beer, Wine, Spirits and Cannabis
This NLSC shop is a pride of Nova Scotians as it sells products online and offline. It is a reliable store that helps with the financial contributions of the province.
Address- 3576, Novalea Dr, Halifax, Canada
Phone no- +1902454354
NSLC Signature
Address- 650, Portland St, Dartmouth, Canada
Phone no- +19024352416
Farm Assists Medical Cannabis Resource Centre
Address- 2320, Gottingen St, Halifax, Canada
Phone no- +19022664769
The High Times Station
Address- 531, Caldwell Rd, Dartmouth, Canada
Phone no- +19024358262
NSLC Beer Wine Spirits
Address- 6141, Young St, Halifax, Canada
Phone no- +19024534887
Maritime Smoke
Address- Mumford Rd, Halifax, Canada
Website- https://maritimesmoke.com/
Reeforganic
Address- 1550, Bedford Highway 310 Bedford, Canada
Phone no- +1902354736
CBD Oil Halifax
Address- 1583, Hollis St, Canada
Phone no- +19027006834
Prominent CBD Companies in Nova Scotia
Here is the list of licensed CBD producers in Nova Scotia by Health Canada supplying cannabis to NSLC.
⦁ AtlantiCann Medical
⦁ Aqualitas Inc.
⦁ Highland Grow
⦁ Breathing Green Solutions
⦁ Robinsons Cannabis
⦁ Truro Cannabis
Quality Assurance and Testing in Nova Scotia
CBD has different laws and regulations since determined by the region’s government. One thing is certain— it’s quality and testing in Canadian provinces. The reason is that reputable brands adhere to the FDA rules. Before sales, certifications from government-approved third-party laboratories are necessary, prior extraction process, labeling, and no false claims of healing ailments are specified.
Don’t fall for unauthorized vendors in the province, however. You must follow proper medical cannabis protocols.
Emerging Trends in Nova Scotia’s CBD Market
The renaissance of the CBD market in Nova Scotia is brilliant. After 2018, Health Canada legalized industrially grown hemp. Following the passage of the United States Farm Bill, the production, shipping, and consumption of CBD-based products skyrocketed.
More and more Nova Scotia growers obtained the license and began growing Cannabis Sativa plant seed for crops and fiber. The CBD industry makes a significant contribution to the Nova Scotian economy. The growing interest in hemp production by growers poses some issues for authorities. The CSGA is receiving applications for hobby breeders, but they lack an understanding of CBD, and the government is doing all possible to educate applicants to manage the industry.
However, several states of the USA have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational purposes, and Nova Scotia is one of the provinces where it remains illegal under Federal Law. For more information, you can check OECD Seed Schemes ensuring high-quality seed production and circulation. It helps to improve domestic production, exports, and reassurance to authorities and consumers.
Initiatives to Educate the Public about CBD in Nova Scotia
Many campaigns run by the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia and authorities on a timely basis for busting myths regarding weed and CBD consumption. As the top users of cannabis consumers are between 15-24 years old, they must be safe from drug abuse.
Data from the National Fatality Database shows that drug-related deaths are on the rise between these ages. It is why campaigns are developed and funded by the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Early Psychosis program. These campaigns educate NS residents via graphics, posters, and printed advertisements across offline modes and social media platforms.
Are there any CBD-Focused Events and Attractions happening in Nova Scotia?
Yes, it is. Here are the details.
Montreal Cannabis Expo
Address- Palais Des Congres, 159, St Antoine W, QC
Date- 13 and 14 September
This upcoming event is for like-minded cannabis industry professionals. It is open to licensed producers, retailers, suppliers, healthcare professionals, media, and related persons. It is to know the product better and develop business connections.
Are there any discoveries in Nova Scotia related to CBD?
In 2021, a scientist called Sean Myles from Dalhousie University stated that cannabis products were mislabeled. However, it is not a cause for alarm for consumers, although it may be hazardous. However, Health Canada is currently looking into the situation.
Conclusion
By 2022, Canada will have a massive CBD industry of $446 million US dollars. It will rise 452.4 $ Million by 2026. Cannabidiol is only legal to be sold in Nova Scotia through NSLC retail locations, either online or in person, except in one store in Halifax.
The third quarter of 2023 cannabis business income reported by NSLC reveals a gross operating income of 92,241$ Million US Dollars, a 12% increase over the previous year. Its whole earnings go to critical public services. So, you now understand how big the cannabis industry is in Nova Scotia.