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sqdc

Since they first opened retail outlets in 2018, the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) has provided people with an easy, legal option for purchasing cannabis, and now has more than 75 stores.

In the greater Montreal area, there are around 21. So which ones are best? To find out, we looked at Google reviews for every SQDC outlet on the Island of Montreal.

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The joyless family of Quebec legal cannabis edibles has gotten a new, and reportedly quite popular, addition: a THC-infused beef jerky that "makes you want to laugh" — but maybe not in the way its creators hoped. It's now for sale at the SQDC.

Each piece of salty dried meat contains 4.5 mg of THC, a relatively low dose, and. 0.75 mg of CBD, also quite low. The glorified, stoner-friendly dog treats have "salty flavours" (shocking no one) and can produce a sense of euphoria when consumed.

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The SQDC is making plans to open a new branch in Montreal, this time in the Plateau's Mile End neighbourhood, on the corner of Laurier and Saint-Laurent. After a somewhat disastrous attempt in Outremont that led to the borough banning the sale of cannabis entirely, this move could be a good one for the organization.

SQDC spokesperson Fabrice Giguère told MTL Blog that the new store is expected to open towards the end of winter, so excited hipsters will have to be a little patient. But so far, the project has yet to face any public outcry like the protests that happened in Outremont.

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Canada baked recreational cannabis use into law exactly four years ago on October 17 — now the country is taking stock of exactly what that means. The federal government has launched an economic analysis of legal cannabis sales and a social review of the impact of marijuana-related policies on youth and Indigenous communities, among other demographics. The national assessment was delayed by a year, due to the pandemic, but is now expected to last around 18 months. During that time, the government is calling on Canadian cannabis users to share just how high they've been getting.

"To ensure the functioning of the Cannabis Act is continuously improving, Health Canada has launched an independent review of the legislation to examine the progress made towards achieving the Act's objectives, and to help identify priority areas for improvement," said Health Minister Jean Yves Duclos on Thursday.

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If you smoked weed in Quebec in 2018, you probably remember the first wave of legal joints. A little uneven, sometimes too tight or too loose — surprisingly inconsistent, especially considering their regulation-happy government origins. But there's a good reason for this: every single early SQDC joint was rolled by hand. In fact, this practice continued into mid-2020.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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This year, the SQDC joined other Canadian weed suppliers by providing edible cannabis products for the first time since its creation in 2018. The first SQDC edibles were released in April, and this summer, the organization added more products to its consumable line. You might be picturing brightly coloured gummies or baked treats, but Quebec had something else in mind: dried beets, figs and... cauliflower?

If you're confused and slightly put off, that's by design. The well-travelled Canadian stoner is familiar with the differences in supply between provinces; the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) offers plenty of sugary sweet cannabis-containing candies and snacks, like the edibles traditionally sold on the black market.

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Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day is here again. Quebec's Fête nationale will see most of the province shut down as revellers gather in celebration of la belle province.

In Montreal, several institutions will remain open, and some city services will continue. But many purveyors of critical holiday supplies and liquid fun will close their doors.

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If you're a fan of the Devil's lettuce, then it's best to know that there are dangers to buying weed off the streets of Montreal.

In a May 5 press release issued by the Direction régionale de santé publique du CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal (Montreal DRSP), the CIUSSS received a report of a case with symptoms linked to a possible opioid overdose following the consumption of cannabis purchased off the street.

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With 4/20 less than a week away, the Institut de la statistique du Québec has come out with a new study on cannabis consumption in the province. Residents are not only using marijuana more but enjoying new ways of consuming it. Social acceptance of the substance has also reportedly grown since its legalization in 2018.

About one in five Quebecers aged 15 and up stated having used weed in the past year, most reporting a weekly habit (26% of respondents). The highest rate of cannabis users is among 21 to 24-year-olds (43%), while 15 to 17-years-olds saw a slight decrease in use from 22% to 19%. The overall number of consumers has risen 14% in the past three years.

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Another day, another recall. Health Canada flagged and recalled a cannabis product on April 8 due to incorrect packaging label concerning an Emblem CBD product.

The affected product currently being recalled is the Emblem Cannabis CBD 100 Cannabis Extract (30mL).

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When it comes to the world of weed, edibles remain a bit of a dicey choice. Often times baked goods are duds, or people think they're duds, eat three, and end up way higher than they'd like to be.

The SQDC takes away that uncertainty with its latest product, Balance Cinnamon & Blackcurrant Bites with date paste, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and rosemary extract, among other ingredients.

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On February 15, Health Minister Christian Dubé and interim National Public Health Director Dr. Luc Boileau held a press conference to announce the end of Quebec's vaccine passport. However, the passport is still here to stay under certain criteria.

The vaccine passport first came into effect throughout Quebec on September 1, 2021, and will officially be suspended for big stores, the SAQ and SQDC as of February 16.

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