LONDON, ONT. -- The managers of recreational cannabis stores were busy managing expectations when it comes to edibles on Monday.
Many potential customers believed it would be the first day cannabis stores could start selling what are called 2.0 products, including edibles.
Steven Worby came to Central Cannabis on Wonderland Road interested in trying edibles, "I’m just curious about that part of it, especially for people that can't smoke."
Worby uses cannabis for pain management, "For me it's arthritis but, for a lot of people, anybody, any sort of pain at all it would definitely help."
But there were no edibles at any of the three recreational cannabis shops in the city even though they became legal on Jan. 6.
Expectations were raised after Ontario Cannabis Store representatives held a product rollout event last week highlighting products that would available.
"We've had a spike in interest today, for sure," says Central Cannabis Store Manager Luke Gaffan.
"We will have access to all of those 2.0 products as of tomorrow and they'll be on this week's shipment."
It’s the same story for London’s two other legal recreational cannabis stores, J. London and Tweed. The expectation is that all stores will have 2.0 products available by the weekend.
But they also warn that even once the edibles, tea and vapes start rolling in, demand will likely outstrip supply with shelves emptying quickly.
But they also believe it won't take long to iron out supply chain issues.
In the meantime, London-based Indiva is waiting on an Edibles, Extracts and Topicals Licence from Health Canada in order to begin distributing its chocolate edibles.
Kate Abernathy is vice president of Sales and Marketing for Indiva and points to a report from the firm Ernst and Young which indicates 2.0 products will find three million new cannabis consumers.
"So there are a lot of individuals who are going to have their first experiences here in the next couple of months and we are absolutely thrilled, and hope to be their first and best experience.”
