Cannabis Council of Canada Alert: Overview of the amendmendments to cannabis regulations March 2025

ALL CANNABIS PRODUCTS

• The cap and container may now be different colors.

• Wrappers may include images or other information if required by law (e.g., a recycling symbol).

• Simplified potency information: Only total THC and total CBD are required, and font size may be as large as the Health Warning Message.

• QR codes are now allowed for inventory tracking and consumer information.

• Accordion or peel-back labels are now allowed on any package size.

• Informational inserts and leaflets: Permitted, provided they do not contaminate the product and are available in both English and French. These inserts are now excluded from the definition of “label”.

• Packaging date: The date on the label must be within ±7 days of the actual recorded batch date.

• The following statements are no longer required: Dried cannabis equivalency (e.g., “contains the equivalent of #g of dried cannabis”) and “No expiry date has been determined”

• A printed consumer information document (CID) is no longer required​for each package shipped to provincial/territorial retailers or direct-to-consumer sales.

• Amended health warning messages:
  • A 12-month transition period applies for the display of new warnings.
  • Messages must rotate equally across product types and container formats.

DRIED CANNABIS, FRESH CANNABIS & SEEDS

• Transparent packaging and cut-out windows are now permitted.

CO-PACKAGED PRODUCTS

• Must contain cannabis of the same class.

• The total quantity must not exceed 30g of dried cannabis or its equivalent. 

• The properties of the cannabis must be consistent across all immediate containers. 

• Note that this has changed since the initial consultation language that seemed to allow for multi-packs to contain multiple flavours.

OUTER CONTAINERS 

• No longer required to be child-resistant.

• Must meet all labelling requirements.

• A packaging date is no longer required.

INNER/IMMEDIATE CONTAINERS

• THC limits: 10 mg per package for edibles; 1000 mg per package for cannabis extracts.

• Must be in child-resistant packaging.

• Must meet all labelling requirements.

• 1g per unit limit removed—pre-rolls can be any size as long as the total package quantity does not exceed 30g of dried cannabis.

• Extracts (inhalation/topicals): Allowed up to 10 mg per activation, max 7.5g per package. 

• Extracts (ingestion): Allowed up to 0.5% w/w​for products over 7.5g.

• Alternative Quality Assurance Persons (QAPs): No longer limited to two; delegation of activities is now permitted while maintaining overall accountability.

• Notice of New Cannabis Products (NNCPs): No longer required for dried cannabis, fresh cannabis, and pre-rolls, allowing immediate market entry.

• Export Permits: Ports of exit are no longer specified, providing greater flexibility.

• Import Permits: Port of entry and customs office details are no longer required.

• Licence Suspension:​Unpaid fees or failure to submit a Statement of Cannabis Revenue (SCR) may result in suspension.

• Irradiation (anti-microbial treatment): No longer requires a security-cleared person to accompany cannabis upon return or distribution to other licence holders.

• Destruction of Cannabis & Waste:
  • Only one witness (an LP employee) is required for both on-site and off-site destruction.
  • Cultivation waste (e.g., leaves, branches) no longer requires a witness.
• Cannabis Pollen: Newly defined and now permitted for intra-industry sales between certain licence holders.

• Industrial Hemp & Non-Cannabis Materials:
  • Non-viable hemp seed derivatives: No Cannabis Processing Licence required if derivatives do not contain concentrated phytocannabinoids.
  • Industrial hemp grain derivatives: No longer require THC testing, and their import, export, sale, and processing no longer require a licence or permit.

• Non-Human Research:
  • A research licence is no longer required for studies that do not involve human or animal participants and use up to 30g of dried cannabis equivalent.
  • Research may not be conducted in a private dwelling.

• Expanded Micro-Class Licence Capacity
  • Canopy size increased from 50 m² to 200 m².
  • Harvested flowering heads increased from​5 kg to 20 kg.
  • Micro-Cultivation:​ Canopy limit increased from 200 m² to 800 m².
  • Micro-Processing: Annual dried cannabis possession limit increased from 600 kg to 2,400 kg.
  • Nursery:
    Canopy size increased from 50 m² to 200 m². Harvested flowering heads increased from 5 kg to 20 kg.