Canada’s First Cannabis Clones Are For Sale Online Now

Canada’s most easterly province is the first to sell adult-use cannabis clones through its provincial cannabis board.

So far, clones are only available for sale online, according to the Newfoundland Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC). CannabisNL, which is selling the clones online, is a division of the NLC.

The eight varieties available for sale have THC concentrations ranging from eight to 24%, and CBD concentrations ranging from zero to 11%.

The plants, supplied by Eve & Co. through its subsidiary Natural MedCo Ltd., retail for $39.99 each though it costs about double that to get one delivered. Shipping from Strathroy, ON is $35 and sales taxes must also be added.

According to the federal Cannabis Act, a person aged 19 or older can possess up to four cannabis plants per household.

Surprise at December availability

The news of the availability of the clones was unexpected, says Jackson McLean, assistant manager of The Seed Co. by E.W. Gaze in St. John’s.

“I was surprised that it happened so soon, based on what I’ve been told leading up to this,” McLean said. He had heard varied information leading up to the news of the release of the clones, but his best understanding was to expect plants in April, he said.

Photo courtesy of Jackson McLean

McLean said he was initially skeptical that plants were immediately available, but he ordered one right away and received it a couple days later. The plant ships in a container with a battery-powered LED light attached to ensure it stays alive during travel—delivery times range from three days to the island of Newfoundland to up to seven days in remote parts of Labrador.

The Seed Co. has held three cannabis-growing workshops, for both medicinal and recreational users, and they are selling kits for people who are interested in growing their own cannabis indoors. Outdoor growing is not permitted in Newfoundland and Labrador, McLean said.

“It’s been huge,” he said of the interest in home growing, both at workshops and online at the CanGrowNL Facebook group. “People really want to grow [cannabis] themselves because they realize how much cheaper it is.”

A single plant can yield about half a pound of cannabis, he said, which can save thousands, even considering start-up costs.

“It pays itself off in a year at the most.”

However, those savings are even more significant when people can grow from seed, and McLean said he is eagerly awaiting news of the availability of cannabis seeds.

Seeds are cheaper to buy and easier to ship and store, and also take up less retail space. No physical locations in Newfoundland and Labrador are selling the clones so far, but The Seed Co. hopes to apply to the next round of licensing (expected in the new year), to sell seeds themselves.

“That is something that I’m trying to look into and the last answer I got, it will be earlier in the new year, seeds will be available,” he said.