The CEO of one of the country’s biggest licensed cannabis producers says recent pesticide scandals have been a “real wake-up call” for the industry, and he wants Health Canada and the industry itself to do a better job to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Aphria Inc. chief executive officer Vic Neufeld recently told the Globe & Mail that greater oversight and enforcement is needed to prevent problems down the road. Neufeld wants Health Canada to introduce strict product-testing measure across the MMJ sector and recover the costs by charging fees to the industry. Forcing companies to fund the government’s inspections would potentially solve any staffing or resource problems Health Canada has while also keeping companies from breaking the rules.
“They really need to come to the table now to tame the Wild West,” Neufeld said. “I really want [Health Canada] to get more involved in the enforcement of testing. And I’m willing to pay whatever the cost is, multiplied by all the licensed producers, whatever the formula.”
Read the full story by Globe reporter Grant Robertson here.