What Will Happen When Recreational Cannabis Becomes Legal?

Delsie Braganza

Delsie joined the Focal Point Research team in 2011 and has been an invaluable asset for our clients. With her strong regulatory and quality assurance background, she is able to help clients understand the Canadian and US requirements, set targets to achieve compliance, and attain their goals to get products to market.

Delsie is able to audit facilities, set up and maintain GMP compliant facilities, develop strong quality management systems, and co-ordinate successful Health Canada inspections. In addition to this, Delsie oversees all regulatory compliance reviews and submissions made to Health Canada and the US FDA.

Delsie obtained an Honours Bachelor of Science (Hons. B. Sc.) in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Toronto, Post-Graduate Certificate in Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs and Quality Operations (RAQ) from Seneca College and Regulatory Affairs Certification (RAC) from the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society (RAPS).

When she’s not learning something new, Delsie loves spending time with family, going on road trips or long walks, and swimming.

Jennifer Porter, BA Psychology, MBA – President & CEO

Having started at Focal Point Research in 2011, Jenn has been fully engaged in the company and since day one, has leveraged her MBA and interest in the regulated products industries to grow her passion for the business and services offered.

Jenn has excelled at building on initial conversations with a variety of companies from all industries seeking regulatory and quality assurance services. She has developed strong relationships with each client, offering each one a unique opportunity to have the Focal Point Research team help them develop successful strategies and bring products to market, while ensuring their compliance needs are being fulfilled.

Jenn has not only been a leader internally, but a key contact for all clients and in 2021, Jenn was the obvious choice to lead Focal Point Research into the future as the successor to company founder, Rob Fichtner.

Jennifer balances her career by honouring her wanderlust, spending her leisure time golfing, and enjoying the outdoors with her loving dog.

Cannabis legalization feels like closing the barn door long after the horse has bolted. Recreational cannabis is being used everywhere, regardless of its legal status, and cannabis-containing consumer products are also ubiquitous. Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the important active compounds in cannabis and is wildly used in topical products due to its anti-inflammatory properties and other benefits. Even though CBD is technically not allowed in cosmetics under regulations enforced by Health Canada and the U.S. FDA, you can easily purchase countless CBD-containing products online and at specialty retailers.

The sale of these products also confuses consumers, as a majority of the products are marketed as derived from hemp and thus claimed to be legal and allowed for consumer use. However, according to Canada’s Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist, only hemp seed oil is allowed in cosmetic products. But this oil is restricted to not contain any CBD, and contain less than 10 parts per million Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the psychoactive component of cannabis. Cosmetic products in Canada cannot contain any therapeutic/drug benefits which is why cannabis-derived CBD is legal by prescription only.

This brings to question what will regulators do after legalization? Will they allow or rein in these “under the radar” products that have been so pervasive for so long? How will regulators educate consumers on the products that follow regulations versus the ones that do not? If these products choose to come under the regulatory umbrella so they can be legally marketed, consumers may notice an increase in prices due to all the associated regulatory costs incurred by the manufacturer. Will any trickle-down costs cause demand for these products to fall? Will this dampen the hype around the expected economic boost? Will consumers simply continue to buy unregulated products that are easier on the wallet?

Many of these questions can only be answered after recreational cannabis legalization and how governments regulate and enforce the cannabis market.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact Focal Point Research Inc. We are leading Canadian regulatory and Health Canada consultants for Natural Health Products, OTC Drugs, Cosmetics, and other personal care products.

Delsie Braganza

Jennifer Porter, BA Psychology, MBA – President & CEO

What Will Happen When Recreational Cannabis Becomes Legal in Canada?

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