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Canada became the first major economy to legalize recreational pot nationally in October, and provinces set up a patchwork of retail and online sales, beginning only with dried pot and oils. Edible pot products like candies, beverages, ice cream and baked goods will go on sale in the next phase of the market’s opening. Deloitte has estimated that six out of 10 consumers will consume pot in this form.

Talks Ongoing

Edibles don’t need a new law to be passed, but the government needs to publish final regulations. Blair said he’s committed to doing that by the Oct. 17 target. But he also cited the example of the 17-week gap between the federal pot law passing last June, and the formal market opening for dry sales in October, which allowed manufacturers and retailers to be ready. Asked whether the gap between edibles being allowed and actually being sold could be weeks or even months, he declined to say.

Once the regulations take shape, the federal government will work with provinces “to determine an appropriate process of implementation, and I don’t have the dates for that,” he said. “Those are conversations that I think we’ll begin more appropriately as we get further along in the development of the regulatory framework that’ll control edibles.”

Canada’s health department began a public consultation on cannabis edibles, extracts and topicals last month, and says those products will be “permitted for legal sale” no later than Oct. 17. The regulations could kick in sooner than that, as Canada has a federal election scheduled for Oct. 21.