(This article is promoted by Lift Cannabis Co Ltd.)

Canada’s premiere cannabis trade show is finally coming to Vancouver. The Lift Expo takes place at the Vancouver Convention Centre on September 17-18 and, on the heels of Health Canada’s recent announcement permitting home-growing of medical cannabis, the timing couldn’t be better. Discussion around the future of cannabis in Canada has ramped up dramatically since the federal Liberals took office in October on a promise of fully legalizing the plant for adult use. Since then, a federal task force has been appointed and is due to submit its findings this fall. Legislation is expected in the spring of 2017. Things are moving fast, yet there is still much uncertainty.

Case in point: Canada has had a federal medical cannabis program since 2001, but it has been amended numerous times in the face of court challenges from patients demanding greater access. The most recent challenge forced the government to once again augment the existing medical regulations to improve access and affordability. 

The court-imposed deadline for the new rules was August 24, but in a surprise move the government announced its intentions on August 11. Personal production of cannabis (something that was once permitted under the federal medical program but was removed in 2013) is - as of August 24 - allowed for authorized patients. While the full details regarding how it will work in practice won’t be released until August 24, this represents a massive shakeup to Canada’s burgeoning cannabis industry and raises a variety of new questions concerning access, safety, and the roles of Licensed Producers and dispensaries.

The Lift Cannabis Expo provides an opportunity to discuss all of these issues and more. It features over 150 exhibitors and speakers from across North America and Europe. Licensed producers, dispensaries, seed companies, vape manufacturers, and hydroponic equipment providers will all be showing off the latest and greatest in cannabis. The Expo also features a main stage with two full days of speakers and panelists, including Kirk Tousaw, Hilary Black, Dr. Claude Cyr, Dr. Brian Emerson, and more.

Vancouver-based Lift Cannabis Co. held its first Lift Expo in Toronto this past May and by all accounts it was a resounding success. Tyler Sookochoff, founder and CEO of Lift, said of the event, “The cannabis industry right now is rather fragmented as numerous different groups jockey for position both to protect and advance the rights of patients accessing medical cannabis and to lay the groundwork for a fully legalized adult-use market. The Lift Expo in Toronto offered a platform for these parties to come together and discuss and debate how the industry can move forward to best serve the needs of all Canadians. Ten thousand people attended the event over two days and it proved to be a timely and much-needed event. We expect Vancouver to build on that momentum and push the discussion and learning even further.”

Lift describes itself as the meeting place for cannabis in Canada. Whether you’re browsing strains and reviews on its web-based marketplace, reading the latest news in its digital and print publications, chatting with a licensed producer at a Lift Expo, or consulting with a physician at your local Lift Resource Centre, Lift is the connection point between you, cannabis, and a vibrant community of knowledgeable Canadians. Its mission is to facilitate conversation and the spread of credible and reliable information in an era of rapid legitimization and growth of the new cannabis economy in our society.

This article is promoted by Lift Cannabis Co Ltd.