Cannabis embroiled in name war

It started with champagne and has now reached cannabis. As well as being respectful, pride in a name can be very lucrative, and cannabis is the latest in a series of lawsuits and regulations over what can be considered a product. Canadian cannabis companies are in a bind over a new naming regulation for certain products.

After the First World War, the trend started with champagne. French winemakers wanted to protect the use of the term “champagne”. Only sparkling wine made using traditional methods from grapes grown and vinified in Champagne in France is allowed to bear the nickname. When the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919, ending World War I, the French imposed restrictions on the use of the name. It has been ratified by all stakeholders except the United States.

Korbel and Miller have used the term champagne liberally for decades. Miller Beer describes itself as the champagne of beers. In 2006, the United States and the European Union signed a wine trade agreement, and the question of the champagne name came up again. This time, the United States agreed not to allow the new use of certain terms previously considered “semi-generic,” such as “Champagne” (as well as “Burgundy,” “Chablis,” “Port,” and “Chianti”)” ). But anyone who already had an approved label, Korbel and Miller High Life, two key players, could continue using it.

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Xerox works hard to ensure its brand names do not become generic. Xerox, a manufacturer of photocopiers and printers, is arguably one of the most well-known examples of a brand name being used in everyday language but not yet becoming a household name. This is thanks to a large advertising campaign. “If you use ‘Xerox’ the same way you use ‘Aspirin’, we get headaches.” Aspirin was a Bayer brand until 1919. Xerox has worked with dictionary publishers to convince them to define “Xerox” not only as a company but also as a brand.

Despite their best efforts, Coca-Cola became a common name for ordering soda, particularly in the southern United States. They lost and now people can order a Coke and get a Pepsi, Costco-Cola or whatever.

Now Canada has ruled that cannabis drinks cannot be labeled as soda pop or cola. Health Canada, which oversees the marijuana industry, has ruled that cannabis products cannot be labeled as soda or cola because they may appeal to children.

A Health Canada spokesman referred to a policy statement on the Cannabis Act, which states that specific circumstances and factors are used to determine whether a product is attractive to young people.

These factors include the name, shape, smell, color and taste of the product, and the way it is presented to consumers. According to the spokesperson, terms such as “soda,” “root beer,” “cola,” and “ginger ale” are considered potentially attractive to youth because they are associated with soft drinks, which falls under the prohibited examples listed in the policy’s opinion .

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This enforcement action could have a significant impact on the thriving carbonated cannabis beverage market, which currently accounts for approximately 60% of all cannabis beverage sales.

According to an analysis by market analysis firm Headset, nearly half of the top-selling carbonated cannabis beverages could be affected by this directive.

Photo by color via Pixabay.

This is being negotiated in court and in backrooms, with the outcome far from being decided. Think milk. Soy, oat, almond and other beverages that label themselves “milk” can continue to use the name, according to a draft federal rule released February this year. The dairy industry was in dire need.

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And it’s still uncertain whether plant-based protein can be called meat. Stay tuned for further developments.