Bruce Linton on why Canopy chose Acreage over other U.S. pot firms

Canopy Growth Co-CEO Bruce Linton said his company picked Acreage Holdings from a list of U.S. marijuana operators it was considering for an acquisition because of the reputational risk its board of directors would face if anything went wrong. Acreage’s board includes high-profile members from former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, to former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner. Linton added that Canopy chose Acreage among three well-run, multi-state American cannabis operators, after initially meeting with five or six firms in Smiths Falls, Ont., where Canopy is based.

Diageo in no rush to jump into cannabis, CEO says

Diageo’s chief executive officer said the alcohol giant is tracking how the cannabis market plays out in North America, but there’s no need to rush into the sector. The Financial Times reports that CEO Ivan Menezes said Diageo remains focused on its portfolio of traditional drinks, as consumers abandon beer in favour of spirits. BNN Bloomberg reported last August that Diageo had held serious discussions with at least three major Canadian cannabis firms. Meanwhile, Diageo’s North America chief, Deridre Mahlan, said Canada’s legalization of cannabis hasn’t had “any discernible impact” on its business in the country. 

Opioids found in substance resembling cannabis in Ontario

A substance that looks like cannabis was tested and found to contain the opioid carfentanil after being seized in Ontario, prompting a public alert from the Waterloo Region Integrated Drugs Strategy (WRIDS). CTV News Kitchener reported that officials were not available to comment on where in Ontario the substance was found, while WRIDS said it had not been found in the Waterloo area. WRIDS also says a similar product containing heroin and fentanyl was seized in Ohio.
 

DAILY BUZZ

“You think of how Oct. 17, 2018 came through, this feels like a very well-ordered process compared to last year at this time.”
– Canopy Growth Co-CEO on Canada’s expected roll-out of legal edibles

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