The cannabis market continues to grow with Canada legalizing cannabis for recreational use last fall. In the meantime, cannabis companies are racing to protect their selected brands. A keyword search in the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (“CIPO”) trademark database for active trademark applications or registrations wherein the description of goods and services contains “cannabis” or “marijuana” revealed 3846 results, 2569 of which were filed last year. In light of the increasing interest in robust trademark protection, the CIPO has updated its Goods and Services Manual to include more examples of acceptable statements relating to marijuana and cannabis. Some examples are:
- cannabis grinders
- cannabis oil for cosmetic purposes
- cannabis oil for electronic cigarettes
- cannabis oil for food
- cannabis oil for the treatment of cancer
- dried cannabis
- chocolate bars infused with cannabis
- live cannabis plants
Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about cannabis brand protection.