(Wines&Vines) - Wineries, grape growers watching as lawmakers legalize recreational cannabis

Ottawa, Ont.—Recreational cannabis is set to roll out to markets across Canada this year following a vote by the country’s senators this week that sets the stage for weed’s legalization, effective Oct 17.

Known as the Cannabis Act, the legislation gives the country’s provinces and territories eight to 12 weeks to prepare for sales of recreational marijuana, which will be sold through government-licensed retailers similar to wine and other forms of beverage alcohol. “We’re now focused on developing the regulations and supporting policies for the implementation of our provincial regulatory regime,” stated Mike Farnsworth, British Columbia’s solicitor general and minister of public safety.

Many in the wine industry see cannabis as an opportunity.

Liquidity Wines of Okanagan Falls, for example, sponsored a multicourse, small-plate dinner with Los Angeles chef Chris Sayegh prepared in Vancouver this spring “starring local ingredients enhanced by THC and CBD extracts.” Liquidity’s wines accompanied the meal