Health Canada is cracking down on cannabis drinks with the word “soda,” “cola,” “root beer,” and “ginger ale.”

In a letter sent to licensed producers, bureaucrats with too much time on their hands write,

It is Health Canada’s position that the use of certain terms commonly referring to a sweetened soft drink, such as ‘soda’, ‘cola’, ‘root beer’ or ‘ginger ale’ may result in the sale of cannabis with packaging/labelling that is prohibited.

If required, Health Canada may take enforcement measures to address non-compliance or mitigate risks to public health or public safety.

Of course, this is for “the children” since fizzy soda drinks may appeal to them.

Never mind that children aren’t allowed in cannabis shops where these are sold. Or that cannabis soda cans come with child-resistant packaging.

Or the obvious fact that soda – whether it contains cannabis or not – is not a beverage children should drink.

Health Canada just provided another example of how Canada is broken.

Cannabis Soda Accounts for Over 50% of Beverage Sales 

According to the cannabis analytics firm Headset, cannabis sodas account for nearly 60% of all cannabis beverage sales.

We’re not sure who’s buying these weak 10mg sugary drinks. Why not take a cannabis tincture of higher potency and wash it down with a regular can of soda at a fraction of the cost?

Regardless, the move is another example of Canada’s anti-consumer cannabis industry. Where appeals to “young people” trump the free choices of adults.

Last week, Ottawa Public Health suggested Health Canada bans words like “gummies” and “candies” from appearing on cannabis products. They also want graphic images on every product, like cigarettes.

CLN e-mailed Ottawa Public Health for a response. In particular, we wanted to know why they’re not concerned with “gummies” and “candies” in general. After all, refined sugar is far more relevant and dangerous to children than a few accidental cannabis ingestions.

“We invite you to reach out directly to the Government of Canada,” was their non-answer.

In Trudeau’s Canada, self-serving bureaucrats are clearly drunk on their own power. These people wouldn’t last a minute in the private sector.

You know it’s bad when you’ve got George Smitherman – no friend to B.C. Bud – telling MjBizdaily, that these prohibitions “are not rooted in science.” 

The lesson here is that you can’t satisfy Health Canada. They are like the woke-Twitter mob. It’s never enough for them. 

Ergo, Canada’s “illicit” cannabis market is justified in forgoing this vacuous regulatory system.

Cannabis Sodas? What About Alcohol?

If cannabis sodas are appealing to children, then what about alcohol?

Walk into any Canadian liquor store, and you can find pre-mixed Jack & Cokes. Vodka drinks that look like Kool-Aid. Rum-infused root beer. Even the name “root beer” is problematic.

What about glass bottles designed to look like beer bottles? As a kid, I remember drinking the brand Dad’s Root Beer, thinking how cool it was to drink from a bottle.

And what about graphic images on cases of beer? Alcohol is a literal poison. 

Of course, we’re not advocating for any of that. Consumers should have free choice. Producers should have free expression.

The only issue would be if there were fraud involved. Like selling a product labelled “Cannabis Root Beer” only to realize it’s not root beer at all. Or that it has no cannabis in it.

And fortunately, we have a common law legal system to root out fraudulent practices. We don’t need a $50 billion government bureaucracy in bed with large pharmaceutical companies.

Cannabis or No Cannabis: Soda is Not for Young People

One of the worst things you can give your kid is a can of pop. If anything, adding cannabis to the soda may be an improvement in nutritional value.

Consider,

Tooth Decay: Soda is basically liquid sugar, with some 355ml cans containing 50 grams. (It makes the 10mg THC cap look silly in comparison, no?) Soda is also acidic, contributing to tooth decay and cavities. When you combine sugar with the bacteria in your mouth, you form an acid that attacks tooth enamel.

Obesity: Soda is a significant source of empty calories. It provides no nutritional value and contributes to weight gain. It’s not correlation; it’s causation. Regular consumption of sodas increases the risk of obesity.

Reduced Hydration: Soda is not a hydrating beverage. It contributes to dehydration due to its diuretic effect. Children who regularly choose soda over water or milk may not be adequately hydrating their developing bodies. 

Decreased Bone Health: Research suggests that sodas negatively impact bone health. The phosphoric acid found in many sodas can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb calcium, which is crucial for developing strong bones.

More Ways Health Canada Does Not Care About Your Kids

Health Canada’s crackdown on cannabis sodas is pure politics. They’re a group of overpaid bureaucrats who impose their ideology on a population of once-free and prosperous adults. 

Nowhere is this more obvious than appealing to “the children” when it comes to cannabis soda but disregarding the real damaging effects of soda in general.

Consider these additional ways soda destroys a child’s health.

Increased Risk of Chronic Diseases: Regular soda consumption increases the risk of chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome. Unless your kid was born with a compromised immune system, if they’ve got these issues before they’re 18, you were unfit to raise children. And Health Canada’s selective propaganda does not help.

Addiction: Soda’s high sugar content creates a strong preference for more of the stuff. Children develop addict-like behaviour. They crave it and get moody when they can’t have it.

No Nutritional Value: Whether it’s cannabis soda or regular soda, there is no nutritional value. Soda is high in added sugars and lacks vitamins and minerals. When children consume soda, they’re forgoing healthier beverages like milk. 

Of course, raw milk is illegal in Canada, and the pasteurized milk industry is a cartel that keeps prices artificially high. So the health of the nation’s children is clearly not Health Canada’s top priority. 

What is Health Canada’s priority? It’s certainly not the health and well-being of Canadians. This latest crackdown on cannabis sodas is further proof of that fact.