Nova Scotia's first legal crop of marijuana could sprout in June

Nova Scotia's first licensed cannabis producer could be ready to sell medical marijuana this spring, the company said Friday.

The Wentworth Valley-based Breathing Green Solutions was added to Health Canada's authorized list Friday. It's the only one listed for the province. 

Reached by phone Friday evening, CEO Bill Sanford said that means they can grow the plant, but it must then pass quality control tests at an independent lab before they can sell it.

"It doesn't give us the right to sell cannabis products. That's the second part of the approval process," he said.

Breathing Green will now get seeds or plants from a licensed producer and start growing them in their 35,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. Sanford expects the first crop to be ready around June.

"That doesn't mean that you can't produce a full crop while you're doing your test crop. It depends on whether you're willing to take that risk and fill out your facility," he said.

He didn't say if they will go full scale for the test batch.

Eyeing recreational market after legalization

If the crop passes the tests, Health Canada will give them a permit to sell cannabis anywhere in Canada.

"Under the current legislation, the producers are only allowed to sell product directly to the end user, the consumer who has a prescription," Sanford said.

The federal government has said marijuana will be legalized for recreational use by July 1, 2018. The Nova Scotia government has promised to reveal its plans by the end of 2017.

Sandford said Breathing Green Solutions is interested in the recreational market and would likely sell the product under the company name.

The privately held company was incorporated in 2014.