An inside perspective from Mandesh Dosanjh, Pure Sunfarm's President and CEO.
It’s widely believed that BC bud is some of the best in the world. As passionate growers, we believe in that statement wholeheartedly. We also believe that our customers care just as much as we do about how cannabis is grown in this country. But what’s more important to know is what Canadians think. So we commissioned a national survey, with an industry-leading research expert, to understand cannabis users’ knowledge and preference after two years of legalization in Canada.
Yes, the results told us what we knew all along: Canadian consumers prefer BC bud. 76 percent of Canadian consumers ranked British Columbia at the top of their list for the highest quality cannabis in Canada. As British Columbians, we have vast agricultural provenance. Growers in this region are fortunate to have one of the best possible climates for growing cannabis, right at their fingertips. Not to mention BC’s strong cannabis culture, which people said was one of the top benefits of purchasing BC bud. This makes sense since the province helped set the tone for legalization in Canada and has a great reputation and history of cannabis from legacy market days. But what was surprising to see was that despite having such a strong preference for BC bud, only half of the respondents actually know where the cannabis they consume is grown.
Furthermore, when asked about how cannabis is grown, pesticides were a sticking point among respondents. 80 percent of Canadian cannabis consumers said they would choose to purchase cannabis grown free of chemical pesticides, but only 2 in 5 actually know if pesticides are used to grow cannabis. People, now more than ever, want clean, natural products. They want to know exactly where the fruits and vegetables they consume are from and how they were grown. So, why would cannabis be any different?
There’s a lot that can be learned from these results. The majority of people don’t know where or how cannabis is grown. It’s clear that Canadians care about a lot more than just price and potency when they make their purchasing decisions, but they’re still getting up to speed. We have more work to do to spread this message, engage in conversations, and give Canadians the information they need so they can feel safe and secure in the choices they are making. They need to know that their growers have a deep understanding of the plant and the culture of cannabis and that companies are using that knowledge to inform the decisions on what products they make.
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