Cannabis Wise has formed a product review panel and consumer guidance group responsible for assigning the Cannabis Wise seal of approval for products grown across Canada.
The seal will let Canadian consumers know with certainty that products not only meet Health Canada’s strict safety standards but are also produced with the highest grade of quality.
“There is currently no seal of approval to indicate to the public which cannabis products exceed the basic Health Canada standards of quality,” says Cannabis Wise Co-founder Barinder Rasode, the CEO of NICHE Canada.
“NICHE has travelled the country talking to cannabis patients, consumers, stakeholders and businesses, and what we heard is that product quality reigns supreme with today’s conscious consumer. The Cannabis Wise symbol will become recognized worldwide as a symbol of quality and trust. It will do for the cannabis industry, what VQA did for the wine industry in BC and Ontario.”
The Cannabis Wise standards include defining “craft” or “high quality” cannabis with specific scientifically determined markers. The program establishes clear quality parameters and provides the public with non-biased quality assessment reports.
The nationally recognized standards and best practices will advance health and safety and drive continual improvement in the cannabis industry. The program will also provide cannabis producers with the opportunity to shine on a global scale and enter new markets with a strong degree of brand recognition.
Cannabis Wise is a voluntary program and all products will be reviewed by a panel of experts using blind tasting methodolgy that eliminates bias. Applicants will provide batch specific terpene, cannabinoid and moisture content analysis from a Health Canada certified laboratory.
Once a sample has passed analytical testing and basic visual/olfactory analysis, it will be blind taste tested by at least one member of the Cannabis Wise tasting panel. Products that have passed eligibility standards and tastings will be given one of three Cannabis Wise certifications.
The first phase of the Cannabis Wise Product Certification program is being launched today and is designed specifically for licensed producers.
The program was developed to complement existing regulatory systems, and the seal indicates which specific flowers have been grown, processed and cured in accordance with the traditional methods and quality standards observed by expert growers and breeders.
To learn more about the Cannabis Wise program and the application process, visit www.cannabiswise.com.