The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) is promoting its ongoing Cannabis Made Clear campaign over the holiday season, sharing tips and resources for safe and responsible cannabis consumption.
First launched in 2022, the Cannabis Made Clear campaign is part of the provincial cannabis agency’s mandate to promote responsible cannabis consumption and includes marketing campaigns across the province targeting consumers, non-consumers, residents, and visitors alike.
As people gather and enjoy holiday festivities over the coming winter months, the OCS’s senior manager of social responsibility, Dr. Jenna Valleriani, PhD, shares tips for safer consumption and discusses some of the issues the campaign focuses on this season.
“The first age-old harm reduction tip is always to start low and go slow,” says Valleriani. “And what that really means is to consume a little bit and wait a bit of time to feel the effects before you consume more.”
She says this is especially true with edibles, which could be a gift over the holidays, possibly even a gift to someone without much experience with cannabis.
“My suggestion is to always start with 2 or 2.5 milligrams if you’re unsure what that will feel like and always wait a full hour before consuming more, just so you can enjoy the experience and make sure that you’re not over-consuming.”
Another issue, not only with edibles but with other types of cannabis products, including leftover joints and roaches, is to ensure safe storage and disposal, Valleriani adds. Not only do you want to ensure kids don’t accidentally ingest cannabis gummies or chocolates they might mistake as regular candy at a family gathering, but pets have been reported to at times ingest joints left on the ground, leading to a potentially bad Christmas for Fido.
Other issues Valleriani highlights are being safe on the roads and ensuring you have arranged transportation if you are planning on consuming any cannabis products of any kind. This is especially true for young people, she points out, who have a zero-tolerance rule for any cannabis in their system.
Instead, she recommends planning ahead and using ride-sharing, taxis, public transportation, or the help of friends or family.
People will also want to be aware that consuming cannabis with alcohol can greatly enhance the effects of both of these intoxicants, even for a seasoned consumer of either.
Lastly, she discusses that if edibles are a part of a social gathering and available for consumption, take the time to clearly label which products are infused and which aren’t, and ideally, keep them separate from each other to avoid accidental consumption.
The holiday Cannabis Made Clear campaign runs from December 2 to January 26. It includes ads on billboards around Ontario, across different campus networks, Rogers Sportsnet, and various online platforms like Snapchat.