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In keeping with its mission to convert the illegal market while maintaining a focus on health protection, the SQDC aims to provide customers with a broad range of products that meet their expectations.
More and different cannabis edibles, the ongoing evolution of concentrates, new developments in hash extraction methods and changes to regulations: those, at a glance, are the updates recently made to the categories of cannabis products available on the Québec market
Since September 2023, products in the new resin and rosin subcategory are available for purchase in SQDC stores and on the SQDC website.
First, we should note that these products usually contain a strong concentration of THC. Because the level was above the 30% limit allowed under the Cannabis Act, these extracts didn’t use to be sold at the SQDC.
However, due to improvements in extraction methods, cannabis producers can now offer resin and rosin products that meet Quebec’s legal requirements.
These types of extracts may have different textures depending on the methods used during the extraction process. They can also be used in various ways, with or without accessories. To learn more, read our article on resin and rosin.
In February 2023, the SQDC officially added sublingual cannabis strips to its product offer. This new method of use is a practical and discreet alternative that provides more precise dosing than traditional methods like smoking and vaporizing.
Sublingual cannabis strips work by slowly releasing cannabinoids into the bloodstream through the mouth’s mucous membranes. Though the effects are slower to appear, they also last longer. Learn more about sublingual cannabis use.
Because it is free of potentially noxious smoke and fumes, this category of extract is less harmful to lung health. However, as is true for all cannabis products, using sublingual strips is not without risk.
The federal limit on the public possession of cannabis beverages (ready-to-drinks) was raised on December 2, 2022. This regulatory change updates the equivalency calculation for this product category to bring it more into line with the other cannabis product categories.
With the updated calculation, a 355 ml cannabis beverage is now equivalent to approximately 0.62 gram of dried cannabis out of the 30-gram limit allowed under the Cannabis Act. This change means personal possession is now limited to forty-eight (48) 355 ml cans (17.1 litres) of cannabis beverages.
Learn more about the regulatory change affecting cannabis beverages.
A few months after the solid edible category was introduced, the SQDC expanded its offer with six new ready-to-eat products: dried fruits and vegetables.
State-of-the-art equipment infuses the products with cannabinoids through a controlled, accurate process. Product quality and content are also laboratory-tested before the products are distributed to our stores.
Just like our first ready-to-eat, the Bouchées Cannelle et Cassis (cinnamon and blackcurrant bites), these new products are fully compliant with the regulatory framework in effect in Québec, meaning they lack appeal to persons aged 21 or younger and their cannabinoid content per serving is low (2.5 mg of THC). The small starting dose was set to minimize the risk of overdose due to the effects taking much longer to appear than for inhaled cannabis products.
Remember: even though the packaging is designed to be childproof, cannabis products should always be stored out of the reach of children and pets.
Lastly, we remind you that edible cannabis products are an option with fewer harmful side effects for the lungs than inhaled products because they aren’t combusted before use. However, that doesn’t mean that edibles are risk-free. Click here to learn more about the effects of cannabis.
For more information on lower-risk use of edible cannabis products, read our article on the subject.
Since March 2022, the SQDC has offered a new category of cannabis products: edibles.
Because the regulatory framework in Québec prioritizes protecting public health, several criteria had to be considered when selecting our first ready-to-eat product, especially its appeal to people age 21 or younger and the risk of an overdose due to the effects taking much longer to be felt than is the case for inhaled cannabis products. After studying the issue, the SQDC chose a product in the form of “bites” to be the first product in the new category.
The SQDC is in contact with all industry players to develop an offer that is both diverse and fully compliant with all current laws and regulations. Other products will be gradually introduced into this new category based on customer demand and response.
Learn more about cannabis edibles.
Though Canadian law allowed several new types of cannabis products to be sold starting December 16, 2019, the SQDC waited until January 1, 2020, to began offering them and then only on a gradual basis.
Initially, the SQDC sold only a few edibles, mainly teas and beverages. Why? Because introducing new products depends on the industry’s ability to adapt to the legal requirements and to supply products to the SQDC quickly and in sufficient quantities.
Here is a short timeline of the SQDC product diversification initiatives.
A few months after introducing hash, the SQDC expanded its offer to include kief products. Characterized by its dense concentration of trichomes, this new extract category is prized by users for its versatility. Kief can by consumed by inhalation using an appropriate device (water pipe, metal or glass pipe, vaporizer, etc.) or by sprinkling it on dried cannabis in joints.
It was in April 2020 that the first extract in the form of hash was added to the SQDC’s product offer. A growing number of hash suppliers were preparing to enter the market and, after only seven months after of sales, the number of hash products offered in SQDC stores and on the SQDC website had tripled.
Over the years, the SQDC’s hash offer has steadily diversified and today includes more than 50 products, half of which bear the Québec Grown identifier.
Though ready-to-eat edibles hadn’t yet appeared on SQDC shelves, an alternative was introduced in March 2020: cooking ingredients.
Available in either dissolvable powder or cooking oil form (not to be confused with ingestible oils – read our article on the subject), these edible cannabis extracts are appropriate for any type of cooking.
Because they are edible products, the effects may take up to 60 minutes to appear and may last up to eight hours, sometimes even longer. That’s why we recommend starting with a low dose and waiting a few hours before consuming more, if desired. Learn more about responsible cannabis use.
Little more than a year after their arrival on the Québec market, the offer of cannabis beverages had greatly diversified.
Here are some of the key moments in the introduction of cannabis beverages at the SQDC:
As producers have adapted, the offer has improved, especially in product categories newly authorized for sale in Québec (cooking ingredients, hash, etc.).
Learn more about cannabis beverages.
Liquid edible categories were added to the SQDC’s product offer soon after dried flower sales began. Only five months passed between the SQDC’s official opening in October 2018 and the arrival of oils, oral sprays and capsules in March 2019.
On January 1, 2021, the regulations applicable to THC and CBD levels changed in Canada. This had significant implications for liquid cannabis edibles. Previously listed in milligrams per millilitre (mg/ml), cannabinoid content is now listed in milligrams per gram (ml/g). The main aim is to help buyers use their purchases in a better-informed and thus safer manner. The SQDC felt customers should be provided with a practical guide to the new units of measure for content of these two cannabinoids.
The SQDC’s oils, oral sprays and capsules category currently comprises nearly 70 products.
Read our article on using cannabis oil safely.
Various other cannabis products exist but are not sold by the SQDC. These include some concentrate extracts, cannabis for topical use, vaping oils and certain other types of edibles (candies, pastries, etc.).
Some cannabis extracts are made from concentrates and have THC contents well over the 30% limit imposed by the Cannabis Act. However, a growing number of suppliers are adapting their products to comply with current laws and regulations, as has happened with hash products since their introduction in April 2020.
As for edibles, Québec law stipulates that any edible cannabis product offered for sale may not be a candy, dessert, chocolate or any other edible appealing to peopleunder 21. The SQDC consequently sells none of these products.
To learn more about the current legislative framework, click here.
In 2019, the Directeur de la santé publique issued an opinion in which he recommended that the SQDC not sell vaping products. As you may recall, several incidents occurred around this time, mostly in the United States, and the science was unclear, justifying the decision to exercise caution around vaping products. The SQDC has complied with this opinion. It also remains open to continued examination of the issue with a focus on mitigating any adverse effects.
By the way, did you know that vaping and vaporizing are two, quite different methods of using cannabis? Read our article on the subject.
Find out more about the legal framework of edible cannabis product.
Topical cannabis products are authorized federally, but Québec law bans their sale in the province.
Our new online chat tool lets you put questions directly to our advisors or our smart bot on SQDC.ca!
To learn more about our online advisory services, click here.
Québec-made rolling paper, all kinds of tips, grinders, lighters and more. The SQDC offers various accessories for cannabis users.
Three icons on online and in-store product sheets make it easier to know the product’s THC and CBD (chemotype) content.
Comparable to essential oils, terpenes are what give the cannabis plant most of its aromas and flavours (fruit, skunk, cheese, citrus, etc.). Cannabis plants as a group naturally produce more than 100 different terpenes. The terpenes are stored mainly in the trichomes, which are concentrated on cannabis flowers.
Each product sheet lists which of the most common terpenes – caryophyllene, limonene, myrcene, linalol, pinene, humulene, terpinolene and ocimene – are found in the product. For more information about the aromas characteristic of each terpene, visit the Terpenes section.
If you or someone you know is dealing with a problem related to cannabis use, don’t hesitate to turn to one of the many available resources. To see a list of organizations that can help, visit the assistance resources page.