Canadian cannabis consumers (along with the curious) breathed a sigh of relief this October when recreational cannabis was legalized across the nation. But within the Cannabis Act there are also packaging restrictions—regulations that some have called overly strict. With numerous restrictions and few design choices, cannabis packaging as imagined by the government will prove challenging for those looking to make some green off the green. That’s where Lorpon Labels comes in. We can’t change the rules but we can make sure you get the most out of your packaging.
The Fed’s regs
It probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that a bag of edibles, as imagined by the government, looks more like astronaut food than space cookies. (Another example graphic floating around is reminiscent of a floppy disk envelope—remember those?) Ostensibly in place to avoid being attractive to minors—cannabis consumption is only legal to those 19 years old and over—the government’s packaging regulations are so restrictive that they’ve managed, improbably, to take all the fun out of pot. Take a look at these headline items:
- Packaging must be a single, uniform colour (fluorescent or metallic colours are prohibited)
- No images or graphical elements are permitted
- Package must include a standardized cannabis symbol and a health warning similar to those found on cigarette packages
- A company logo and brand name are allowed, but they may not exceed the size of the standardized cannabis symbol
- The following embellishments are prohibited: gloss, embossing, diecuts, texture, foil, cut-outs, peel-away labels, or inserts
Clearly, any cannabis companies hoping the government would just roll with it are in for a buzzkill.
High quality packaging
Effective packaging is all about setting your products apart. In the cannabis sector, at least for the time being, this is going to require expertise and creative thinking. When you work with a Lorpon expert, you can be sure we will leverage the rules to their best effect, all the while staying within the guidelines. With an eye to maximizing the areas open to customization—like variable data, sequential numbering, and products names—our Lorpon consultants will help you produce a package that stands out from the rest.
And with our HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press, we can manage high-quality small batch orders quickly. Design changes can even be done on-the-fly.
Some advocates are pushing for changes to the regulations, and they may get their wish. But in the meantime, Lorpon Labels is ready to help you find your market share in the new cannabis economy.