Who are they, what do they have, for how much and where can you find them. We will showcase the Top Dispensaries all across Canada, first starting on the eastside with Ontario, the west coast will be next. As stated by Health Canada the number of cannabis retailers in Ontario has exploded since 2018 when selling marijuana in retail settings first became legal, and the number of stores in province has now reached into the thousands, Toronto has become a dispensary city, there isn’t a main street downtown that doesn’t have a Cannabis dispensary located on it. In fact, the city recently surpassed the 2020 milestone in the industry, with close to 1,000 authorized and unauthorized cannabis retailers in the entire GTA. With Weedmaps providing users access to legal and legacy market brands/services, you could access cannabis either in person or remotely, which was great. Weedmaps reviews helped, but they don't go deep, and really showcase the details of the brand, the people who created these stores, the hurtles they faced to open these operations, and the products they sell. Cannabis is processed to be a product that you consume, and has not only medicinal effects, but what most users participate for, the psycho active effects, and if you’re grabbing from a nonregulated source, their could be potential risks, if your provider does not make you aware. This is the main feature for this months e-magazine issue, focused on what Ontario has to offer We will take the journey across Canada, and showcase as many as we can for you to see. Full Article coming in the emag, launching Jan 31 2022, make sure you subscribe to receive in your email. Keep er lit!

I wish I had this device like 30 years ago, I would have never waisted a dime. The tCheck potency testing is a device I wish I had many years ago, I use to grow quite a bit, and give it away to my friends as gifts, and I would hustle it to make ends meet. People would try to pull a scam on me and say my herb was weak, and they wanted their money back, after the fact they smoke it, just not the bottom of the bag plus package is designed to offer you fast and accurate results when measuring the potency of your flower, concentrates, or tinctures. The package comes with all the required components for testing any cannabis product. Start testing Infused clarified butter (cannabutter) Infused coconut oil & MCT Infused extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) Infused alcohol tinctures Non-decarbonated Dried flower – buds, trim, shake Winterized Concentrates – shatter, crumble, diamonds, and more What’s included: tCheck 2 device, reusable tray, eyedropper, scale, 100 mL reagent, 10 mL syringe, stirring stick, 10x 1 mL syringes, 10x .22um filters, 3 concentrate spoons, 3 sample containers, 5 AAA batteries. This product is only available in the US & Canada. Customers outside US & Canada are able order the international version

Share your story with The CBD, and get a chance not only to be in the e-magazine, but also win a piece of Cannabis Illusion Art Yes indeed, I want to hear your story, or a really crazy cannabis story like mine in the 420 Chronicles called "Bringing buds to Canada, is like bringing sand to the beach!" Name: Trevor Paxton Lambert Preferred Genotypes: Sativa, Hybrid and Indica Favorite strains: Polar Vortex, Oakland, Cherry Cheese Cake and Where's My Bike. Preferred Alternate methods of consumption: All My cannabis story goes back and broken up in yearly segments, it started as a child. I remember my stepfather smoking it like it was going out of style with his buddy Paul. They would make me come down stairs and do little skits to entertain them, it was a blast for all of us. So one day I thought I would give it a try, and see if I could laugh they way they did, I knew it was bad at the time, I was only 10 years old, and I had a friend who's dad would leave his herb on the their pool table to cure. I asked him if he would take some and go to the park, we could smoke it, and laugh our ass off. he said sure, as long as I gave him some of the porno mags my stepfather had locked away under his work bench. I was a master at getting them, so I thought sure no problem, my stepfather was drunk all the time so he won't even notice. We did the exchange, then I was wondering how the heck am I going to smoke this, my buddy said "just grab some paper and roll it up", I said "Yeah I know, but how will it stay together?", he said " Use some tape", so I cut a little square out of lined paper, threw the herb in it, rolled it up and taped it. I had a little crew in the BFG (Browns Farm Ghetto) back in the day, so we all took turns taking pulls off it, we ended up smoking the whole bag he gave me, because no one knew really how to smoke and nothing was happening. I took all the roaches and hid them under this big ass log on our driver we tied the dog too, in hopes my parents wouldn't find them. Then one day my dog pulled the log away from its spot , all excited seeing my mother come home, then BAM! all the roaches appeared, and at the time my brother was 14 and really rebellious, so when my mother came in the door, she firmly like a loud speaker at school ask my brother what the fuck was with roaches on the driveway, then took him outside. He didn't have a fucking clue what was going on, it took me a while to admit that to my mother, like 14 years. And that's how long I stayed away from cannabis, even through most of my high school I was against it because it was so frowned upon. Especially in the small town I grew up (Orangeville), but there wasn't much to do there other than fight, fuck and get fucked up. But the time that locked me in and I haven't looked back, was when I was with one of my brothers friends, I some how ended up hanging out with this guy who was a party animal, we were in his apartment talking about girls and the next party we were going to do, and for quite some time he has tried to get me baked, the fucker use to blow me super tokes off sigs and then try to make me black out ( I think he got off on getting people screwed up, and watching how they would react). As we were joking around, he pulled out this shoe box and said" Today is your day Trevor, you are going to get high with me, and if you try to get away, I am going to lay the beats on you" and just so coincidently he's blocking the path to get at the door. I thought to myself and remembered the time when I was a kid, and thought wtf I didn't get fucked up then, I'm older, no way I'll get too stoned. He opened the shoe box and it contained two sandwhich bags full of BC Skunk and G13, his brother in-law was a chemist and grew the sickest herb. Then he pulled out this hospital mask with a long tube and it has a place to put your joint at the end of it. I was like "WTF are we going to do with that?" He said you watch, your going to get high Mr.Lambert, you are going to get HIGH!" he took a bud from both bags, rolled a big canon, plugged it into the tube of the mask, gave me the mask, I held it up to my face, his lite the joint and said "Now take a deep breath, actually, do it a few time so you can feel the effects right away". I took a few deep breaths and let me tell you, everything turned into a comedy shoe, everything this guy did, made me laugh my ass off. He laughed like Popeye, and looked like a Somo wrestler, I began to laugh uncontrollably and my guts began to tighten like crazy, I was begging him to stop as I didn't want to laugh anymore, but he sounded and looked hilarious. Eventually the buzz faded away and we were all teary eyed on the floor from it. After that, I haven't stopped, and being born on 420, I have a life mission to share and consume this incredible plant the Great Spirit has blessed us with. Ok now that you have heard my story, what is yours? Go to our contacts page and fill out the submission form. Thank you for participating!

Setting a new annual record in the recreational sector based on the data from Stat's Canada. Legal revenue generated of recreational cannabis topped over 370 million Canadian dollars a new annual record. Even with major organizations pulling out like Emerald, the industry keeps pushing forward. With the cannabis industry opening up new positions and educating the general public of the incredible benefits, the growth opportunities are endless. Statistics Canada stated monthly recreational cannabis sales increased in all provincial markets, except New Brunswick, where sales dropped by 2.8% to $7.1 mil. Ontario, the largest provincial market, consumed more than $145.7 mil worth of regulated cannabis, month-over-month spike of 3%. Alberta purchased $63.2 mil on cannabis in Oct, a 4.1% increase. Quebec, monthly sales climbed by 2.3% to $52.5 mil. In the remaining provinces, October sales and monthly sales growth were: British Columbia: $50.5 mil (+2.7%) Manitoba: $13.9 mil (+0.6%) Saskatchewan: $13.8 mil (+1.5%) Nova Scotia: $8.1 mil (+0.6%) Newfoundland and Labrador: $5.7 mil (+7.6%) Unfortunately there was no stats on any of Canada's smallest province, Prince Edward Island, or the north west territories. Cannabis retail sales in selected Canadian cities were in October: Toronto: $49.5 mil (+4.7%) Montreal: $27.2 mil (+3.4%) Edmonton, Alberta: $21.7 mil (+5.2%) Calgary, Alberta: $17.5 mil (+3.8%) Vancouver, British Columbia: $16.6 mil (+3.3%) Ottawa, Ontario: $14.5 mil (-0.4%) Winnipeg, Manitoba: $9.3 mil (+1.1%) Quebec City: $5.9 mil (+2.9%) Gatineau, Quebec: $1.8 mil (+2.6%) Statistics Canada’s cannabis retail sales report available here.

As we enter another review, the selection keeps getting hard to make up my mind which ones. I wish there was a way I could have the seeds or cloned every single strain I have tried, because what I have noticed is, when the really good ones are gone, they are gone. For instance I had a strain called "Where's My Bike", a cross of Amnesia and Biker Kush. That terpene profile was extraordinary, actual never mind extra ordinary, it was remarkable. After I had blasted it out to all my friends to try, I was on the hunt and even to today, its MIA. And yet again we are going to use a datasheet style based on the following strains and genotypes. Documented is the attributes and characteristics, along with a few cultivation aspects. This is another list of the best strains, I had the pleasure of analyzing, documenting and indulging in. For the second article of this series, we are going to showcase 1 genotype, the hybrid. Identification and Selection of Cannabis Strains STRAIN 1: Where's My Bike Name Where's My Bike Type Indica dominant Hybrid Origin Amnesia and Biker Kush. Ease of cultivation Easy to grow Disease resistance Immune to almost everything Height (tall or short) Medium to tall Growth period 12 weeks Projected yield High Terpene profile Caryophyllene, terpinolene, and humulene. THC 19% CBD 1 % Odor Citrus flavor and odor STRAIN 2: Polar Vortex Name Polar Vortex Type Unknow Hybrid Origin Unknown Ease of cultivation A bit difficult to grow, needs a lot of attention Disease resistance large resistance to mold Growth period 68 Days Projected yield 500 Grams per plant Terpene profile Caryophyllene. THC 19% CBD 1% Odor sweet and sour lemon aroma accented by notes of tropical mango STRAIN 3: Great White Shark Name Great White Shark Type Double Sativa Dominate Hybrid Origin South Indian Sativa, a South American Sativa, and Super Skunk Ease of cultivation very easy Disease resistance Very high resistance Height (tall or short) Tall Growth period 9-10 weeks Projected yield 35 ounces per plant Terpene profile Limonene, pinene THC 21% CBD 1% Odor pungent aroma with a subtle citrus note, it has a zesty wood, clove, and lavender scent, with an earthy-skunk STRAIN 4: Chemdawg Name Chemdawg Type Hybrid Origin Sour Diesel and OG Kush, Ease of cultivation Does best in a well controlled enviro, heavy feedings Disease resistance Very resistance to any type of disease Height (tall or short) Medium Growth period 9 weeks Projected yield 32 ounces per square meter. Terpene profile Caryophyllene THC 18% CBD 10% Odor Earthy, petrol flavor and aroma.

Another look at some of the incredible varieties of cannabis strains I had the pleasure to experience. I love how every strain has unique attributes that effect each experience, and what I learned while in the academy, was when growing and using the technique of cloning to produce a plant, it was impossible to reproduce the same plant over and over, and the only way to achieve that, was a method called "Tissue culture". I had a ridiculously brilliant faculty professor who was extremely skilled at outlining every step of the process, and explained how it is the one and only way to reproduce the exact same attributes and characteristics of a plant via cloning (brief outline or her research is shared in my Growing Tips article on cloning you can find here). Again we are going to use a datasheet style based on the following strains and genotypes. Documented is the attributes and characteristics, along with a few cultivation aspects. This new list of the best strains, I had the pleasure of analyzing, documenting and indulging in. For the second article of this series, we are going to showcase 3 different genotypes, Indica, sativa and hybrid with a focus on the THC and CBD aspects of the strain types under each classification. Identification and Selection of Cannabis Strains STRAIN 1: High THC / low CBD content The Cake Name The Cake Type Indoor, Indica / Sativa Hybrid Origin USA Girl Scout Cookies and Cherry Pie Ease of cultivation Easy to grow in any medium, low susceptibility to turning into a hermaphrodite. Disease resistance Immune to almost everything, easy grow Height (tall or short) Short to medium Growth period 8 to 9 weeks from seed Projected yield 400 to 500 grams Terpene profile Humulene 0.74-2.73% Limonene 0.01-0.91% Terpinolene 0.01-0.91% Myrcene 0.10-0.42% Caryophyllene 0.01-0.20% Pinene 0.01-0.14% Linalool < 0.01% THC 25.75% CBD 1 % Odor Tangy vanilla flavor and odor STRAIN 2: High CBD / low THC content Sour Tsunami Name Sour Tsunami Type Hybrid sativa dominant Origin USA Southern Humboldt Seed Collective Ease of cultivation Does well outdoors vs indoor, but still difficult to grow Disease resistance It has a significantly large resistance to insects and bacteria Height (tall or short) Tall Growth period 8 to 9 weeks Projected yield 16 oz Terpene profile Myrcene, Pinene, and Terpinolene. THC 1% CBD 13% Odor Fuel like Chocolate aroma STRAIN 3: Strong “skunky” odor SKUNK WRECK Name SKUNK WRECK Type Indoor/ outdoor Sativa / Indica hybrid/ double diesel and Ferrari Origin Mexico, Afghan and Thailand Ease of cultivation very easy Disease resistance Very high resistance Height (tall or short) Tall Growth period 8-9 weeks Projected yield 18 ounces per square meter Terpene profile Limonene, pinene THC 20% CBD 1% Odor Pine fuel like citrus skunky smell STRAIN 4: WHITE RHINO Name White Rhino Type 80% indica-dominant (Hybrid) Origin Afghan, Brazilian and south Indian landraces Ease of cultivation Does best in a well controlled enviro, heavy feedings Disease resistance Very resistance to any type of disease Height (tall or short) Medium Growth period 9 weeks Projected yield 32 ounces per square meter. Terpene profile · 1.66% Linalool. · 0.24% Caryophyllene · 0.42% Myrcene. · < 0.01% beta-Pinene. · < 0.01% Limonene. · < 0.01% Terpinolene. · < 0.01% alpha-Pinene. 0.73% Humulene THC 18% CBD 10% Odor Heavy wood, oak and maple flavor.

It is said, more than 10 puffs of cannabis will reduce stress radically Yet there are many things in life that cause people stress, the key thing is how you react and manage it, and the feeling of emotional or physical tension can have serious effects on your health. It can come from any experience or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous. Stress is your body's reaction to a challenge or demand. In short bursts, stress can be positive, such as when it helps you avoid danger or meet a deadline. But the stress you need to be aware of is the stress that causes so many negative things to your health, and using cannabis in many different forms in stressful situations will help improve your state and counteract things like: Low energy. Headaches. Upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea. Aches, pains, and tense muscles. Chest pain and rapid heartbeat. Insomnia. Frequent colds and infections. Loss of sexual desire and/or ability. Depression or general unhappiness. Anxiety and agitation. Moodiness, irritability, or anger. Feeling overwhelmed. Loneliness and isolation. Other mental or emotional health problems. I know there is other methods to deal with these conditions, but I can't think of a better way other than sex, to release stress, than smoking a fatty for instant effects. Because Stress is such a big subject, affecting millions of people, and many books are written based on it, my goal is that you become aware that your body is talking to you, and using cannabis to treat this list of symptom is a guaranteed solution, well at least in my opinion and experience. Fatigue If you are habitually tired, lack in stamina, and often feel that you don’t have any more energy left, your body is telling you that you are overstressed. You are not invincible. Sleep and restful naps are the times when your body has the opportunity to repair and regenerate. Interfering with your body’s ability to repair causes many chronic diseases, including immune system challenges such as diabetes. And I wouldn't recommend you consuming something to push beyond your bodies limits. By if you're on the midnight shift and its the last 2 hours till you're off, I use to sneak out on break and blast a bat of some delicious sativa, cherry cheese cake, Dolce Gabanna (Double sativa hybrid)or even Great White Shark. Many nights those strains did me well, provided me the energy and focus I needed to push through those last dragging hours. Now I realize that the best thing to do is to honor your body and to serve your body because you only have one, and it needs rest. Weight Gain The other thing that shows up with a lot of people, and this is something that I had experienced over time as well, is weight gain due to a hormonal imbalance. This imbalance takes place when you are overstressed because your body is in a constant state of fight or flight, typically people wouldn't. think cannabis would be a solution in this type of scenario, because you would think the munchies would me me even bigger. In fact it the opposite, if you were to consume the proper dose of edibles, you would prevent the start of the weight gain due to stress. The edible would satisfy not only the desired action of compulsive consumption, but with the infused product being digested, the first past effects kicks in and the THC/CBD has been absorb by every organ involved in the process, plus once it has passed into your blood, the THC/CBD reaching the rest of your body, enabling a proper hormone balance, avoiding those side effects of stress. Mental and Sleep Issues Depression, mood swings, changes in appetite, sleep problems, and a decreased libido all may be attributed to stress. When you cannot sleep well due to stress and anxiety, you are at risk of having a panic attack. Anxiety, depression, and other emotional issues affect your quality of sleep, which in turn affects your health and your ability to heal. Some people increase alcohol and narcotic use when they are stressed, some use prescription drugs, or hard recreational drugs for relief and release, which do far more damage than help. Some people turn to food as comfort, to relieve how they are feeling. Instead of dealing with stressful issues in a natural or more organic way, such as using cannabis, people use these substances and other habits to treat their internal pain. Often, people become reliant on these substances to help them make it through the day, and if I was to have the choice of using something promoted health over destroying health, I think you know the answer. Therefore, be careful that you are not starting to crave these substances, as that could indicate a symptom of stress and addiction, and there is plenty of studies out there that prove cannabis has been used to curb addiction, it helped with mine. If one or more of the items on this list resonate with you, it could be a good time to look at your life and assess where you really are, what you are doing to treat these conditions, and if its really safe for you. Because with my experience and knowledge, cannabis has been the saving grace for me when I have been in these stressful states, physically, mentally and spiritually.

Back in the day everyone had their favorite strains of cannabis that they faithfully kept in their own personal inventory, but now there are so many varieties its really hard to choose just a few. The more knowledge you acquire with cannabis, the easier it will be for you to identify the different types of strains. Certain attributes and characteristics are dead give a ways, like the fat leaves of the indica, or the reaching for the sky stocks of a sativa, and on a deeper look, the aroma of the terpenes (Terpenes are aromatic compounds found in many plants) can be a big help determining the type if you don't have any info on the plant. What pushed my abilities to identify what type of cannabis plants are out there was an exercise we did in my growing techniques class, which was pretty cool. We create a datasheet based on a number of strains and genotypes. We document the attributes and characteristics, along a few cultivation aspects. Mind you this information was a complete overview, which was great if you were serious about cultivating cannabis, Let me show a list datasheet style of some of the best strains I had the pleasure of analyzing, documenting and indulging in. For the first article of this series, we are going to showcase 3 different genotypes, Indica, sativa and hybrid with the strain types under each classification. Identification and Selection of Cannabis Strains STRAIN 1: AK47 Name AK47 or Cherry AK Type Indica Origin Afghanistan Ease of cultivation Easy, produce very large flowers Disease resistance Prone to mold Height (tall or short) Short Growth period 8 weeks from seed Projected yield High Terpene profile 3.5% including Myrcene and Caryophyllene THC 16.2% CBD 1% Odor Skunky with a little rotten fruit with a distinct pungent flavor. STRAIN 2: Kryptonite Name Kryptonite Type Sativa (probably the fastest ) Origin Afghanistan Ease of cultivation Relatively easy with little mold resistance. Disease resistance Mold and bug resistant Height (tall or short) Tall Growth period 60 days Projected yield 14 ounces per square meter (600 gm) Terpene profile Caryophyllene dominant THC 17% CBD 1.9% Odor Sweet grape aroma with a touch of pepper STRAIN 3: Moby Dick Name Moby Dick Type Sativa Origin White widow mixed with haze Ease of cultivation very easy Disease resistance Very high mold resistance Height (tall or short) Tall Growth period 10 weeks Projected yield 600gm/m2 Terpene profile Limonene predominant THC 27% CBD 1% Odor Citrus with earthy sweet flavor STRAIN 4: White Russian Name White Russian (aka the Dude) Type Indica/Sativa (Hybrid) Origin AK47 mixed with White Widow Ease of cultivation Easy Disease resistance Resistant to common mold and mildew Height (tall or short) Medium Growth period 60 days Projected yield High Terpene profile Blend of Myrcene and Isoborneol THC 26% CBD 0.1% Odor Citrus with sweet and sour flavor

This process guarantees the seeds that show results will produce plants. Germination as is defined on WIKEPIDIA; Germination is the process by which an organism grows from a seed or spore. We can help the process with some clever techniques. Usually I would get out a plate, paper napkin, put just enough water to soak the entire napkin, and place the seeds in, and fold routine, then hope I see those magnificent little sprouts come out, sometime they do, sometimes they don't. Sometime I forget about them and it drys up and I have to start all over again for fuck sakes. At the time I thought I was a master grower, (unlicensed that is), until I went to school, there I learned a pre soaking technique that guaranteed results, sure this maybe on a large scale, but I took the principles and processes, and down scaled them for my personal use. I attended the Academy of Applied Pharmaceutical Science for Cannabis operations, they have a brilliant program, but I'll talk about that another time. Growing techniques was one of my favorite classes, when I first initially took the course, I wasn’t knowledgeable of the administration aspects of growing cannabis, and that every process no matter what it maybe required a SOP= Standard Operating Procedure. This document outlined every step, ensuring that if someone didn’t show up for work, any person could easily fill in, follow the steps and complete the process seamlessly. I am not going to bore you with meticulous details of every kind of SOP, but here a peak at what pre germination SOP looks like for a large scale grow op you can do the same, just do it on what ever scale works for you, this process guarantees the seeds that show results will produce plants. STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE TITLE: Pre-Soak Seed Germination SECTION: Germination Room, SOP NUMBER: SG01 EFFECTIVE DATE: NOW REVISION: NA ORIGINATED BY: Trevor P Lambert REASON FOR REVISION: First draft APPROVAL DATE: Today 1. SCOPE: Detailed instructions to properly germinate the selected cannabis seeds, and how to transplant the seeds to soil after 2. PURPOSE: To complete the germination process for the entire seed batch successfully by the deadline outlined on the seed schedule document. 3. DEFINITIONS: GERMINATION: The growth of a plant contained within a seed; it results in the formation of the seedling. It is also the process of reactivation of metabolic machinery of the seed resulting in the emergence of radicle and plumule. TAPROOT: A taproot is central, and dominant root from which other roots sprout laterally. Typically, a taproot is somewhat straight, tapering in shape, and grows directly downward. DESIGNATE: The individual responsible for executing all processes pertaining to the germination process. 4. RESPONSIBILITIES: Master Grower oversees and decides the strains being germinated Designated Growers implement and complete to entire process, then prep successfully germinated seeds for the grow rooms. 5. PROCEDURE: 5.1 HEADING 5.1.1 Create a soak that consists of pond water in a 5-gallon bucket which is slightly warm. 5.1.2 The designate will fill, 12 5-gallon buckets, leaving 1 inch of space below the top of the buckets rim with the water. 5.1.3 Pour the seeds in, only covering the surface of the water in the 5-g bucket with the selected seeds assigned to the selected bucket 5.1.4 Leave the seeds to soak over night 5.1.5 Check after 28hrs to ensure the seeds have dropped to the bottom of the buckets, any seeds that have not will be discarded to the destruction vault. 6.1.1 Remove the seeds from the buckets, by pouring each bucket into compost tea tank and capturing the seeds with the filter over top of the tank. 6.1.2 Remove the seeds from the filter and place the seeds on the transport trolley to be transported to the assigned germination station. 6.1.3 place a seed inside the assigned Hydro farm Inc CK64050 Germination Station with Heating Mat. 6.1.4 After the seeds have sprouted, they need to be planted right away, do not touch the little white taproot with your fingers, use tweezers to move the seeds. Plant the seeds root down, about a knuckle deep into the soil. The top of the seeds should be just below the surface of the soil. Repeat this process for every seed. Flow chart next page… So there you have it, get out there and grow your legal amount, and be safe doing it. Stay tuned for more growing techniques.

The global legal cannabis market is valued at $17.7 billion in 2019, growing by about 22 percent, according to the report from Grand View Research, Canada's contribution was $1.7 Billion with recreational and medicinal combined. With developing a cannabis business, while I was in the Academy, I had the opportunity to sink my teeth into some serious cannabis industry information, I even paid for data to use in the business plan I created for a massive seed to smoke empire. What I am about to share with you is the data extracted by two of North America's leading research organizations, was researched and developed by Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics. “According to the report by Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics: “The Road Map to a $57 Billion Worldwide Market", spending on legal cannabis worldwide is expected to hit $57 billion by 2027. The recreational cannabis market will cover about 67% of the spending while medical cannabis will take up the remaining 33%. https://arcviewgroup.com/research/reports/ The North America legal cannabis market was almost $14 billion in 2019, growing by 30 percent on the year. The largest player in the game was the United States, which totaled $12.2 billion. Canada with about $1.7 billion. Analysts predict the overall cannabis market for legal adult-use and medical sales in North America to reach $24.5 billion by 2021 with the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to over 20% and will grow to $46.5 billion six years later. In April 2017, the Canadian government announced new legislation to legalize cannabis for recreational use. On October 17th, 2018, the country became the first in the G7 and the second country in the world to fully legalize the cannabis. The legislation divides the responsibilities of regulations between the federal and provincial governments. Ottawa regulates production, including licensing producers and ensuring the safety of the country’s cannabis supply. Federal regulations put the minimum purchase age at 18, allow people to grow up to four plants at home and set strict rules on packaging and branding. This figure represents Cannabis market by region, PBO forecast Sales at cannabis stores in the first three months after legalization totaled $151.5 million and reached $1,186 million for the period from January 2019 to December 2019 according to Statistics Canada. Legal cannabis spending in Canada, including medical and recreational products, is expected to generate up to $5.2 billion by 2024, according to a new report “Canada Leads the Way on Global Cannabis Legalization” released by Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics. Just imagine if they added the value of the Canadian legacy market sales, we would be the universal leaders, never mind Global.

Now that you’re chronic, you want to level up eh? Here’s an profound scope of points to look for in your cannabis, if you are serious and should you desire to be a.... "CANNABIS CONOISSUER" Stop saying Weed! I know its the most common way to refer to cannabis, but its almost like insulting the plant, calling it weed makes it seem cheap and low grade, like weeds on a front lawn. It also portrays a low vibration, in the way that calling someone a weed smoker objectively sounds more negative than does profiling them as a cannabis consumer. I have a friend from Jamaica who educated me how I was disrespecting the plant, and If I say I am a true cannabis connoisseur, do the plant justice and stop yourself from calling it WEED, there are so many other brilliant names. Equipment Not every cannabis connoisseur has a wicked looking tool kit, but they do have tools to assist with the process of consuming their cannabis, as shown in the image above, its a typical cannabis kit, grinded, rolling papers, lighter etc.,,,, If you are serious and you want to become a master, there is equipment in todays market that help you to elevate to the next level. For instance this tCheck potency tester, is an amazing little unit I bought, in fact I loved this device so much, I bought one for a friend who is as serious as I am when is comes to cannabis. The tests results it produces are comparable to labs, its easy calibration step by step process and mobile app, is extremely user friendly. I have used it for dried flower, alcohol and oil based infusions, having this ability to test when I want is an incredibility empowering feeling, as a cannabis connoisseur tCheck has elevated my herbal status, and it is very affordable compared to some of the personal testing devices that are out there. I originally purchased the unit so I could check the quality of the products I was purchasing from an unlicensed provider, who had a reputation for blowing his percentages our of proportion, I can't even count on my fingers how many times this cat would say " oh man this is seriously like 40% to 50% dude!".....Yeah, ok 40 or 50? I have experienced those high potency buds that are out there, but when a supplier tries to gouge you on price when you know last time it was kinda ok but not really, I need to make sure I'm not getting the run around. It may look, smells and tastes amazing, but the potency, it was just not there, and confirming it with the tCheck proved my point. Loved seeing his expression when I showed him the test results. On the cultivation side, this baby helped build my confidence in my growing techniques. Before I had the tCheck, every harvest I had to wait till the curing process was complete to truly test the potency of the bud, via smoking a joint, but not now, I can do testing and monitor the potency of my plants or products, and make the adjustments needed based on the result the tCheck provides, seeing these results made me feel proud and inspired to keep growing, having this brilliant device in your arsenal is like a device that can translate any language Another fantastic piece of equipment below is from FORMLINE, this is a trichome magnifier, not only does this tool enable you to admire and really take a significant look at the trichome structure. It assists grower in determining plant sex or identify and diagnose issues like Molds, Pests, Disease before they become problems. Some trichomes are too small to be seen by the naked eye. A trichome magnifier also helps to determine the optimal time to harvest. Trichome Trichome one of the most important traits to look for in identifying the overall quality of the cannabis you smoke. When you break up the bud, you’ll notice these tiny crystalline-looking particles, which are the trichomes of the cannabis plant, and which are where all the THC potency is stored in. Buds with more full, intense clusters of trichomes are typically more potent and of a higher quality in production, whereas airier buds are a lighter, less intense high, kind of a social type of buzz you ride. Color The color of the bud itself not only clues you in about the effort the grower put into the product, but also about the actual strain itself. Purple and pink colors tend to indicate more Indica dominant strains, while orange/red hairs and frosty tend to be a sativa or hybrid. If you see colors like that you can count on them being brilliant buds. Terpenes Ok this one is going to really be important leading into the next two in this list, anyone that considers themselves a cannabis connoisseur, should know what is a terpene. As stated by the britannica of science. terpene | chemical compound | Britannica https://www.britannica.com › science › terpene. terpene, any of a class of hydrocarbons occurring widely in plants and animals and empirically regarded as built up from isoprene, a hydrocarbon consisting of five carbon atoms attached to eight hydrogen atoms (C5H8). To take this into the cannabis prospect, there was one instructor I had at the academy, who was absolutely brilliant when it came to not only being a cannabis connoisseur, but a skilled craft growing master. His name was Daniel Hochman: "Cannabis terpenes are synthesized within secretory cells in glandular trichomes. Production increases in light. Terpenes provide natural protection from bacteria, fungus, insects and other environmental stresses. Terpenes are common constituents of flavorings and fragrances. Terpenes are responsible for the aroma of cannabis". Therefore with this understanding of the terpenes, taste and smell, the next two explain those perspectives deeper. Aroma With experience you will begin to differentiate various aromas between the different types strains of cannabis, once this talent has been developed, know you’re on your way to becoming a full-fledged cannabis connoisseur. Some strains emanate sweet, citrusy, or even mint like, while others provide a downright sour stank. Whiff the bud before it’s lit, this way you gain a more accurate aromatic flavor profile. High quality aromatics include notes derived from citrus, and floral to even something like cheese or skunk. Avoid that reeks like mold, rotted or anything un pleasing Taste When you first start your cannabis journey, chances are you only really tasting the heavily earthy notes of the cannabis you’re smoking. As you become more of a cannabis connoisseur, your palate begins to expand, and the added flavors start to blossom on your taste buds. Think of it like a whiskey. Once you get used to that taste, you can tell when it’s a blend or single malt, with notes of mango or cinnamon. Same thing goes for cannabis, and once you start to notice, it becomes an incredibly fulfilling experience. Like a Pro: A brilliant way to refine your cannabis palate is to pair your cannabis with other foods and beverages that draw out it’s flavors. To get you started check out "The Pros" article featuring Andrew Freedman, he is the one and only original Canadian Cannabis Sommelier. His YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/c/TheCannabisSommelier and has some fantastic content, so check him out! Touch A buds texture and consistency is a key indicator of determining how fresh a particular product is. If the herb is soft like a pillow or very crystalized like a frosted flake, that’s a sure sign of cured cannabis that is still fresh. If its overly brittle, off colour or mushy, as that is usually older weed that has been kept in poor conditions. Cannabis that is too dry will burn and degrade quickly, and cannabis that’s too moist can potentially develop mold, which is nasty and harmful to smoke, I know from experience, it does matter if these types of attributes are present. The different psychoactive effects (The Buzz) There are differences in effects from the different classifications (Main Genotypes) of a cannabis plant, they use to say Sativa, is a focused, energized buzz. Indica is a total couch potato buzz, and don't forget the ruderalis, that your lucky to even get an ounce off this class to smoke and figure out what that buzz real is. Now with these super grades and hybrid that have crossed over the best of the best strains, provide effects not even the most seasoned cannabis consumer can take it standing. If your blessed enough to find those pure strains Expand Your Consumption Methods Lastly, the ultimate cannabis connoisseur has a variety of tools at their disposal, ready for any kind of situation that might be thrown their way. They might prefer to roll up wax paper and smoke a single, or perhaps they have their favorite piece that gets the job done in a discrete fashion better than anything they know. Maybe they’re a foodie who finds ways to incorporate THC infused ingredients into their recipes, or prefer to sip a cannabis-spiked beverage in place of a cocktail at the end of the day. If they’re on the go, for a more discreet and portable option they will have a vape pen. Pens, like the premium selection from Mistifi, can offer some of the most elevated and enhanced experiences, all while remaining discreet and respectful of your surroundings.

Meet Andrew Freedman, he is the first real "Cannabis Sommelier" his focus on pairing cannabis, beer, cocktail, wine and gastronomy are completely unique and original. We introduce the incredible people who are taking the word career to the next level in the cannabis Industry, showcasing the highlights of their expertise, qualifications and skills. Full Article in The Canadian Bud Directory Issue #01 download here