Weed Edibles (Or Rather, Drinkables) Have Hit the Shelves in Quebec

Over a year after recreational cannabis was legalized in Canada, edible products are finally for sale in Quebec — or to be more accurate, drinkable products.

Per the Gazette, the government-run SQDC is now stocking cannabis tea, with three varieties available: a lavender-camomile, ginger-peach green tea, and vanilla rooibos (however, the latter two are already listed as out of stock online).

Sorry, stoners: the teas are all cannabidiol (CBD) based, with minimal THC levels, so while they may have a relaxing effect, they won’t get you high. They’re sold as tea bags, not pre-prepared, canned drinks.

Edibles have been a relatively long time coming — when the federal government legalized weed in late 2018, the sale of edible (or drinkable) products was excluded, and they only technically became legal in late 2019. Even then, producers had to get approval for their products, meaning that they only started to be sold in some provinces in recent weeks.

Quebec has the strictest rules on edibles in the country — in 2019, Francois Legault’s government took a “won’t somebody think of the children?” approach, banning the sale of edibles that could appeal to those below the legal age of 21, such as brownies, candy, or basically anything sweet (although there’s nothing stopping you from making these at home). Such products are all sold in Ontario, B.C., and other provinces.

That said, the SQDC is planning to stock a few more edible or drinkable products in future — it previously suggested that weed-laced sparkling water or non-alcoholic beer would be sold (although the Gazette reports that plans for beer have since stalled).

Cooking oil is also in the works, reinforcing the idea that most edibles in Quebec will have to be a do-it-yourself venture; chefs and bakers are still not legally allowed to produce edible marijuana products in any kind of commercial capacity, although one Montreal-based company has tried to devise a slightly-complicated workaround to these rules.

• New cannabis products in Quebec [SQDC]
• Edibles: SQDC now carries cannabis tea, but no chocolates or treats [Montreal Gazette]
• Quebec Officially Outlaws Most of the Fun Marijuana Edibles [EMTL]
• A New Weed-Loving Quebec Start-Up Will Help You Throw a Stoner Dinner Party [EMTL]