First year of pot legalization gets positive marks from former cannabis task force head 

How has cannabis legalization fared so far in Canada? “Extremely well”, according to Anne McLellan, the former Canadian deputy prime minister and head of the government-appointed task force to recommend how to legalize the drug. McLellan tells The Canadian Press that there are parts of legalization that warrant criticism, but she noted "perfection was never going to be possible." While there have been bright spots in the country, notably in Alberta which has opened north of 300 cannabis stores, McLellan mentioned CannTrust’s regulatory scandal was not helpful in driving sales away from the illicit market.

Investigation uncovers how U.S. Yolo vape product tied to synthetic cannabis, illnesses

Is Yolo to blame for the U.S. vaping-related health epidemic? The Associated Press tried to figure out who is responsible for the product – named after the acronym for "you only live once" – believing it originated from a former Utah resident named Janell Thompson. Lab tests in 2017 found Yolo contained synthetic marijuana blamed for at least 11 deaths in Europe, while a complaint made in 2018 to a California state labour agency uncovered Thompson’s ties to the product. Thompson now faces 40 years in prison after a U.S. attorney alleges she distributed "massive quantities" of synthetic marijuana as far back as 2014.

Canopy Growth wins Luxembourg medical pot contract, import licence in U.K. 

Canopy Growth’s pharmaceutical business, Spectrum Therapeutics, continues to make headway into Europe after announcing two new deals in the continent. Canopy said its Spectrum Therapeutics business received licences from the U.K. government to store and distribute cannabis-based medicinal products as well as import those products from its own global cultivation network. Canopy also said it won a two-year contract to be the exclusive supplier of medical cannabis in Luxembourg.

Mexico gets closer to signing new law to legalize recreational cannabis    

Mexico is close to adopting new legislation that would create a regulated cannabis industry in the country, making it the third nation to legalize cannabis for recreational use. However, MJBizDaily reports that it may take “years for the market to be up and running” in Mexico while proposed limits of ownership and licences could hamper foreign interest in the country. A bill is expected to be sent to the Mexican senate for a vote in the coming days, although final legislation may be amended before it becomes law.

DAILY BUZZ

$797,000
-- The amount in sales generated by Canadian cannabis retailer High Tide across its entire 26-store chain from last Thursday to Saturday during the first anniversary of cannabis legalization in Canada. 

Cannabis Canada is BNN Bloomberg’s in-depth series exploring the stunning formation of the entirely new – and controversial – Canadian recreational marijuana industry. Read more from the special series here and subscribe to our Cannabis Canada newsletter to have the latest marijuana news delivered directly to your inbox every day.