Organic Cannabis: what does it mean and why does it matter?

Mother Plant Cutting at Boaz

The term “organic” gets thrown around a lot these days. Often the term invokes ideas of purity and health, but what does it really mean

Picture from Simply Bare Organics

Food or farming methods produced or involving production without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial agents, are “organic.” In order to be able to label your products as such, you must grow and produce them using approved methods, determined by national or local certification councils. In turn, this results in varying qualifications around the world. 

Organic Certification 

In Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regulates any food, seed, or animal feed that is labelled as such. These requirements also apply to cannabis, industrial hemp, cannabis products and by-products, such as regulations for livestock feed and the disposal of unused plant parts. However, the Safe Food for Canadians Act does not apply to edible cannabis products, as they are regulated under the Cannabis Act. The CFIA regulates products in accordance with the Canadian Organic Standards. Under the list of permitted substances, you’ll find materials such as compost tea, worm castings, honey, and more. 

TGOD: Green. Organic. <3
The Green Organic Dutchman is proud of their organic and sustainable practices

Can weed be organic if it isn’t certified? The short answer is yes. So long as the producer uses certified methods to produce their cannabis, we file it as ‟organic.”

Why Does Organic Matter?

Cannabis plants are hyperaccumulators: they absorb the toxins in soil or water. These toxins can include heavy metals, radioactive contaminants, or petroleum products. This process, called phytoremediation, can be beneficial when considering the negative emissions that result from growing industrial hemp. However, when it comes to the cannabis that you inhale and ingest, you want to be certain that your products are free from any harmful residuals. 

Do Licensed Producers in Canada use harsh chemicals to grow cannabis? The list of approved pesticides, fungicides and even fertilizers that can be used to grow ganja in Canada is very limited. All Canadian cannabis is safe to consume. As always, start low and go slow.

Different Ways of Growing Organically 

There is no set method of growing organically. Essentially, if you grow using materials and systems outlined by the CFIA, you are growing organically.

A well-known example of is living soil. Living soil is a method of growing that utilizes living microorganisms in the soil to provide nutrients in the plant. This process creates a symbiotic relationship between the plant and the soil, ultimately giving growing power back to the plant. Growing with living soil can result in a yield with a more robust cannabinoid and terpene profile. Other methods of organic growing exist, for example, hydroponics can be organically grown but it is not as common. 

Living soil is an example of organic growing methods
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Who’s Growing Organically

Organic flower provides a higher-level experience when it comes to terpenes and cannabinoids. Knowing you’re buying from an LP that grows organically also provides peace of mind knowing what you’re consuming is free from residual chemicals. To make your decision-making process easier, here’s a list of LPs you can find that fit the bill in Alberta:

If you have any questions about organic cannabis or want to learn more about licensed producers that grow organically in Canada, come and visit us at the shop!. 

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Note: This blog post uses the terms Hashish and Hash interchangeably

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