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Some companies are heading into grey areas, such as pop-up events that combine education about cannabis with free swag, which, in his opinion, is clearly promotional, he said.

“If you get into the platforms of some of the creative strategies of some of the cannabis companies here in Canada over the last few months, that has been the logic, that as long as I wrap it up in education it should be fine.

“It’s still going to be very interesting over the next weeks and beyond to see what kind of repercussions are put in place for (growers) that either choose not to comply or try to get creative in how they skirt the rules.”

Up Cannabis, the company that has a financial and creative partnership with The Tragically Hip, got a call from Health Canada officials in the summer, said Jay Wilgar, CEO of parent company Newstrike Brands Ltd.

Health Canada had questions about a party Up hosted in July for the media and others to introduce the company’s brands, said Wilgar. It was a private event intended to educate, he said. “We talked about our company, our story, the products.” Up did not receive a written complaint, and has a good relationship with Health Canada, he said.

Wilgar said his company’s strategy does not include mass advertising such as billboards, and he assumed they would not be allowed anyway.

“I’m actually driving along the Gardiner (Expressway) in Toronto,” said Wilgar during a phone interview, “where there are three large billboards up by my competitors.”

jmiller@postmedia.com

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