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Mounting concerns over the sometimes lethal impacts of vaping aren’t deterring Canadian licensed cannabis producers eager to market the products.

Some of those in the business say the rash of deaths often blamed on unregulated THC vapes might even confirm the safety benefits of recreational legalization.

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“The illicit product has no thorough testing,” said Ryan Hellard of Alberta-based Sundial Growers.

“Health Canada puts very strict regulations on oil production, flower and packaging … so the resulting product comes from a much more vigourous testing.”

Vapes are one of the cannabis derivative products along with edibles, topicals and beverages that will become officially legal in Canada Oct. 17, though they’re not expected to arrive on store shelves until late December at the earliest.

On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the U.S. updated its vaping toll figures, reporting almost 1,100 cases of illness and 20 deaths in that country.