New OCS public education campaign clears up confusion and encourages Ontarians to make informed decisions about cannabis

July 10, 2023 (TORONTO) – New OCS public education campaign clears up confusion and encourages Ontarians to make informed decisions about cannabis

Today, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) launched a multi-channel awareness campaign aimed at expanding cannabis literacy among Ontarians through the Cannabis Made Clear online education hub. Cannabis Made Clear provides easy access to unbiased, fact-based and current resources to support cannabis consumers and canna-curious Ontarians in making informed, responsible choices about cannabis.

Throughout the summer and again towards the end of 2023, Ontarians can expect to encounter Cannabis Made Clear campaign motion graphics, broadcast spots, digital out of home placements and audio segments in some of their most frequented online and public spaces – including Yonge and Dundas Square in Toronto.

Cannabis Made Clear officially launched in October 2022 as a key pillar of the OCS’s mandate to champion a socially responsible cannabis industry through advancing knowledge and promoting responsible consumption. The online education hub features a wide variety of expert-reviewed resources related to four core areas:

• Responsible use, harm reduction and tips for minimizing risk.
• Legal use, travelling with cannabis and understanding the differences between regulated and unregulated products.
• Health effects and what the latest evidence says about the relationship between cannabis, the body and the mind.  
• Cannabis and youth, and how to approach the subject of responsible consumption early on. 

Coinciding with the Cannabis Made Clear public education campaign is the launch of the OCS’s Summer Guide to Legal Cannabis, a related resource that pulls together “everything you need to know” about consuming, purchasing and travelling with legal cannabis in Ontario this summer. The Summer Guide is available in print at participating authorized retail stores across the province.

As research into cannabis and its effects evolves, the resources available through the Cannabis Made Clear education hub will continue to be updated to reflect the latest evidence. Cannabis consumers and non-consumers alike are invited to explore the Cannabis Made Clear education hub in full by visiting www.CannabisMadeClear.ca.

Quotes:

“Five years into legalization in Canada, combatting misinformation and presenting the facts about cannabis remains critically important to enabling a vibrant cannabis marketplace. Thank you in advance to industry partners, cannabis consumers and the people of Ontario for engaging with the Cannabis Made Clear online education hub and helping to clear up confusion by sharing these evidence-backed resources.”  

— David Lobo, President & CEO, Ontario Cannabis Store

“As a key pillar of the OCS’s social responsibility mandate, we’re committed to advancing cannabis knowledge and promoting responsible consumption, while also ensuring Ontarians have access to the information they need through Cannabis Made Clear. The more you know, the better positioned you are to make the most informed decisions about cannabis – and this campaign helps to share that information.”  

— Dr. Jenna Valleriani, Senior Manager, Social Responsibility, Ontario Cannabis Store