Nova Scotia NSLC Places First Recreational Cannabis Orders with 14 Suppliers

The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) placed its first purchase orders this week for recreational cannabis in preparation for legalization October 17, 2018. The NSLC has placed orders with 14 Canadian cannabis vendors, including two from the Atlantic region, and one Cannabis Accessory vendor.

“We have done our homework and believe the 78 strains we have ordered will provide customers with a varied product assortment,” said Bret Mitchell, NSLC President & CEO. “We have carefully selected the strains and will adjust our inventory based on customer preference.”

The first purchase orders are intended to secure 3.75 million grams. The NSLC anticipates it will order in the range of 15 million grams in the first year.

The strains and amounts have been selected based on a number of criteria including relevant sales data from the recreational and medical cannabis markets in Canada and the United States, product availability and the suppliers’ ability to provide us with a continuous supply.

With these first purchase orders, the NSLC will carry 282 cannabis products and 21 accessories. Recreational cannabis for recreational use will come in five formats: flower, seeds, pre-rolls, oil and gel caps.

“I’m extremely proud of our employees for their diligence in bringing this new product category to market in a responsible way. Our focus has always been, and will remain, on the responsible retailing of this new product category,” Mitchell said.

The NSLC has leveraged its corporate social responsibility experience and used industry best practices to ensure the product is sold responsibly and according to federal and provincial legislation.

It has launched a customer education program called What to Expect to prepare and inform customers on the cannabis shopping experience. The program explains age restrictions in the cannabis stores including that nobody under the age of 19 is permitted into the section. It also prepares customers for the fact it takes more time to make cannabis purchases than beverage alcohol purchases and that lineups may occur.

The NSLC has also developed a corporate social responsibility program called Need to Know which focuses on the responsible consumption and safe storage of recreational cannabis. It informs customers they must be 19 or older to purchase recreational cannabis, that cannabis affects everyone differently so start with low THC percentages and slowly learn how you react, to consume alcohol and cannabis separately and to keep cannabis locked and out of reach and sight of minors. Finally, the program reminds Nova Scotians to never drive after consumption of beverage alcohol or cannabis and to plan ahead to get home safely.

Because the corporation did not sign Memorandums of Understanding with vendors, it has flexibility to adjust the products it carries based on customer preference. Nova Scotia products will be added as soon as local producers have licenses from Health Canada to both produce and sell recreational cannabis.

About the NSLC

For over eighty years, the NSLC has been managing the safe and responsible sale of beverage alcohol in Nova Scotia, returning 100% of its profits to government to help fund key public services. As a true partner in our communities, the NSLC conducts its business with integrity and respect for the environment, while supporting the sale of more than $200 million in Nova Scotia-produced products every year. For more information about the NSLC, please visit our website at myNSLC.com.

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