There is growing concern about an increase in cannabis choices hitting the market.
New regulations are less than a year away, but in the meantime customers are already have more access to products than ever before.
Chris Enns of the Farm Assist Cannabis Resource Centre says curiosity for cannabis has grown since the federal government announced it will soon be legalized.
"Many of our customers want to be able to smell and touch the products before they purchase them, so storefront continues to be the main mode of access," Enns says.
The new regulations on cannabis controls will go into effect on July 1, 2018. Until then, there are plenty of cannabis choices for customers.
"Those intimately involved in the industry are continuing to look for regular opportunity to build regularly with the government,” says Enns. “For now we continue to self-regulate, but we want to open that transparency and we want to keep moving forward.”
With the drug still being illegal, National Access Cannabis is encouraging people to talk.
"Our large concern is how do we control where patients are accessing their cannabis from," says Kenny Lord, vice-president of National Access Cannabis.
Lord says he’s concerned about the number of shops popping up.
"That's a legitimate concern because the more doesn't necessarily make the better,” he says. “I know a lot of the dispensaries are going in with the right attitude but that fact they're using unregulated products defeats the purpose."
While the countdown is on to legalization and distribution, concerns remain about what customers may be ingesting. Kenny Lord is warning consumers to continue the cannabis conversation – especially if you choose to buy.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Marie Adsett.
