Canadians looking for a popular RSO extract can now visit Ellevia. tap
Mera Cannabis Corp has just launched a traditional RSO tincture in the Canadian market – a development hailed as a milestone by company executives. They call it the first product of its kind in this country’s legal market and expect it to have a big impact.
Ben Gottlieb, the company’s vice president of marketing and product development, notes that RSO has been popular in the legacy market since it was developed by Canadian engineer Rick Simpson for the treatment of his skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma) in 2003.
Many cannabis users have long claimed that full-extract cannabis oil, which contains more THC than most oils, is an effective treatment for conditions ranging from inflammation to insomnia. Simpson was giving away his oil until 2009 when he quit for legal reasons.
The new tincture sold under the Ellevia brand contains 60-68% THC and less than 5% CBD. The terpenes are caryophyllene, farnesene-2, humulene, bisabolol. The product also has a click applicator which, with the help of a rotary knob, ensures that an exact amount of product (25 milligrams) is dispensed with each use.
“It’s not a nice oil – it’s definitely on the darker side – and it doesn’t taste very good. But what it offers is a full spectrum of advantages, ”says Gottlieb.
RSO tinctures are not only darker, but also more viscous and have a stronger taste than other “full spectrum” oils. Since the final product doesn’t use carrier oils like MCT, the texture is more similar to that of peanut butter.
The product now being sold by the Ontario Cannabis Store can be smoked, used topically, or eaten as it is decarboxylated. Gottlieb believes this versatility combined with an affordable price point – an MSRP of $ 32.95 – will help make it “incredibly attractive” to consumers.
He believes the introduction of this product could be a game changer. “I believe that the launch of this cannabis product and a few others at relatively low prices signals that the legal market is not only competing with the legacy market, but potentially undercutting it,” he says.
“I believe that when it comes to adult cannabis, the legal market is catching up with the old market because it creates value for the cannabis user.”
“Our product is new to the legal market, but RSO tincture has been around for years,” adds Gottlieb. “We realize that we are standing on the shoulders of those who paved the way for us.”
Randi Druzin
Randi Druzin is a Toronto-based author and journalist. She has worked for several major media outlets, including the National Post and CBC, and has written for dozens of publications including The New York Times, Time Magazine, ESPN The Magazine, and The Globe and Mail.
View article by Randi Druzin
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