At the dawn of legal marijuana, Lisa Campbell is determined to make women a key part of the business.

“The cannabis industry is predominately run by white men,” says Ms. Campbell, who is so passionate about her mission, she rhymes off related statistics without missing a beat. Women, she says, occupy just 5 per cent of publicly traded licensed cannabis producers’ boards, compared with 12 per cent of other companies on the TSX.

As chief executive of Lifford Cannabis Solutions, a nine-month old subsidiary of her family’s wine and spirits agency of the same name, which essentially functions as a distributor, she is one of few female leaders in the emerging space. In her role, Ms. Campbell helps companies navigate the cannabis industry and guides their products to shelves across the country within the legal market.

Toronto, Canada, October 31, 2018–WeedMD Inc.(TSX-V:WMD) (OTCQX:WDDMF) (FSE:4WE) (“WeedMD” or the “Company”), a federally-licensed producer and distributor of medical-grade cannabis, is pleased to announce it has signed a multi-year retail sales distribution agreement with Lifford Cannabis Solutions (“Lifford”), led by long-time cannabis advocate, influencer and media personality Lisa Campbell, to represent WeedMD’s premium cannabis brands and products for the adult-use retail market in British Columbia and Alberta.

“With the onset of legalization, WeedMD’s products are garnering the attention of a discerning and knowledgeable cannabis audience. Lifford has a history of delivering great results in the alcohol beverage category and has developed strong relationships with the provincial distributors as well as key customers,” said Brett Moon, SVP, Sales and Marketing at WeedMD. “Lifford’s strong foundation, coupled with cannabis advocate Lisa Campbell’s expertise and influence will bring WeedMD tremendous value and additional exposure in western Canada’s cannabis markets - ensuring strategic product placement and nation-wide success.”

“Lifford Cannabis Solutions is delighted to be working with WeedMD, a licensed producer widely recognized as a groundbreaking cultivator in Canada. With some of the most unique genetics on the market, we are excited to elevate WeedMD through our four-pillared approach which combines distribution, education, innovation and relationships,” said Lisa Campbell, CEO, Lifford Cannabis Solutions. “We are confident that WeedMD’s top-shelf cannabis - which is sustainably grown by a team that is deeply rooted in the cannabis community - will be well-suited to consumers in the west. It is an honour to collaborate with the WeedMD team as they continue to grow across Canada.” 

TORONTO, ON - October 18, 2018 -- ​Lifford Cannabis Solutions​ (“LCS” or the “Company”) announced today that the Company is working with ​TerrAscend Canada Inc.​ ​(CSE:TER)​,​ to launch their premium cannabis brand, ​Haven Street​ (“Haven St.”) in Ontario. Lifford’s salesforce will educate consumers, future retailers and budtenders about Haven St., which will be sold initially in the Ontario Cannabis Store.

“We look forward to growing our diverse companies together as we bring the most premium international cannabis brands to market,” said Lisa Campbell President and CEO of LCS.

As of October 17th, TerrAscend Canada will release Haven St. Premium Cannabis, targeting adult consumers who enjoy cannabis regularly, value variety and seek premium experiences. Using a unique street-like address “neighbourhood” system that ranges from 100 – 500, Haven St. products are categorized from low THC to high THC and create a simple way for adults to explore cannabis. The strain offerings are segmented by five consumer need states: Peace, Reset, Focus, Drift and Rise. The Haven St. collection will be featured in the Discovery Series Vol.1TM of Canada’s very first mixed pack by ​AHLOTCannabis CollectionsTM.

“TerrAscend is thrilled to have Lifford Cannabis Solutions represent our Haven St. brand in the Ontario adult-use retail market. Lifford’s in-depth understanding of the cannabis industry and retail dynamics will help ensure future success both locally and in additional future provinces,” said Greg Smith, TerrAscend Canada’s Senior Vice President, Adult Use Markets.

In Canada, the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS) Ontario Chapter is addressing the issue by piloting a cannabis education course with monthly hospitality sessions. The curriculum will allow sommeliers to apply their fine tuned skills to cannabis and ask questions about legalization. According to Andrew Freedman, an ambassador for Lifford Cannabis Solutions, a cannabis sommelier is: “A wine professional with an extensive knowledge in pairing cannabis with gastronomy, service, and spirits.” 

Consuming in your own home isn’t necessarily an option with condos and apartment buildings across Canada looking to ban smoking cannabis in these dwellings. Public spaces are up for scrutiny as well, with provinces planning to ban smoking and vaping of cannabis in these areas.

So where can Canadians light up? It seems as if they’ll be restricted to non-apartment, non-condo private residences not beholden to restrictions by landlords for now.

Campbell said Canadians should have “consumption lounges in the same way you’d have a bar.”

"I think what you're going to see, as of Oct. 17, is an explosion of cannabis events, all of which will be private because you can't sell cannabis unauthorized," says Lisa Campbell, a cannabis advocate who is expanding her family's wine agency, Lifford, to include a "cannabis solutions" branch. "Say you're a bartender and you get hired for a wedding and the clients want a cannabis bar. As long as none of the guests are buying the cannabis from the bar, and you obtained the cannabis legally, and you're within your sharing limits, it should be legal." (Canadians will be legally allowed to share up to 30 grams of legal cannabis with other adults after Oct. 17.)

In preparation for a potentially weed-infused future, some stakeholders are launching weed education programs for hospitality industry professionals. Both George Brown College and the Ontario chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers are working on developing courses that could, one day, lead to certifications for servers and sommeliers that specialize in cannabis. The programs would cover two main areas — the flavour profiles associated with different strains and promoting knowledge about responsible cannabis use, especially when it's mixed or paired with alcohol. Even though we're a long way from legal weed-tinis in bars, there's nothing stopping people from experimenting with cannabis cocktails at home.