Article content

Beware of pot that is grown outdoors, warns one of Canada’s dominant suppliers of greenhouse-grown marijuana.

“People need to be careful of the quality, who grows it and how they grow it,” said Jakob Ripshtein, chief commercial officer with Leamington’s Aphria Inc.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Local pot supplier questions Ottawa's green light on outdoor grow ops Back to video

Canada ends its decades-old ban on recreational marijuana use on Oct. 17. The federal government is opening the door for a new generation of “micro-processors” to grow pot on small plots of up to 200 square metres, and it’s also permitting outdoor crops of marijuana. The aim is to have more players to compete in the sector currently dominated by large corporations and to permit a cheaper source of marijuana, making the new market more competitive.

“It’s great,” said Jon Liedtke, co-owner of downtown Windsor’s Higher Limits cannabis lounge. “Canada has the opportunity here to continue to be a leader.”

But Aphria’s Ripshtein wonders what might happen to the quality of that outdoor crop when it’s growing next to other farm crops that are treated with pesticides or other chemicals. Canada’s medical marijuana industry is only a few years old, and Health Canada has had it under tight watch since Day 1, with growers like Aphria required to invest huge amounts for indoor facilities and quality control.