Selecting a cannabis trademark you can actually use

SELECTINGACANNABISTRADEMARKYOUCANACTUALLYUSE

STELLASYRIANOS*
ROBIC,LLP
LAWYERS,PATENTANDTRADEMARKAGENTS

Theburgeoningcannabisindustryhasundoubtedlycreatednewopportunitiesforbusinessesto
innovateandprosperbutithasalsopresentedchallengesinselectingbrands.Truthtobetold,
choosingatrademarkforanymarketisusuallynotaneasytask.Therearevariouscommon
barriersfoundintheTrademarksActsuchasnotselectingatrademarkwhichisconfusingwith
someoneelse’strademark(registeredornot).However,thecannabisindustryisfacedwith
additionallegislativerestrictionsrootedintheCannabisActanditsrelatedRegulations.
Theserestrictionsmustbetakenintoconsiderationwhenchoosingyourcannabistrademarkbeit
forcannabisitself(someexclusionsapply)oracannabisaccessorywhichincludesrollingpapers,
pipes,bongsandvaporizersrepresentedtobeusedintheconsumptionofcannabis.
Topofmindconcernsshouldbeprohibitionswhichpreventthedisplayonapackageorlabelorin
thepromotionofcannabis,acannabisaccessoryoranyservicerelatedtocannabis,ofanelement
that:
•providesreasonablegroundstobelievethatitcouldbeappealingtoyoungpersons;
•setsoutatestimonialorendorsement,howeverdisplayedorcommunicated;
•setsoutadepictionofaperson,characteroranimal,whetherrealorfictional;
•associatesthecannabisoroneofitsbrandelementswith,orevokesapositiveornegative
emotionaboutorimageof,awayoflifesuchasonethatincludesglamour,recreation,
excitement,vitality,riskordaring.

Furtherrestrictionsapplytocannabispackaginginthatthisstandardizedcannabissymbolmust
appearoneverylabel:

Thisobligationisrelevanttotrademarkownersbecausenoillustration,sign,mark,symbolor
design,thatsocloselyresemblesthestandardizedcannabissymbolthatitislikelytobemistaken
forthatsymbol,isallowedtoappearonanycontainerinwhichacannabisproductispackaged.

©CIPS,2018.*StellaSyrianosisalawyerandatrademarkagentforROBIC,LLP,afirmoflawyers,patentand
trademarkagents.

2

Worthnotingisthatonlyonebrandelement,otherthanthebrandname,maybedisplayedand
canonlyappearonceontheprincipaldisplaypanelofthepackaging.Moreover,ifthatbrand
elementisanimage(forinstancethecompanylogo)itmustbesmallerthanorequaltothe
standardizedcannabissymbol.Ifthebrandelementistextonly,itstypesizemustbesmallerthan
orequaltothehealthwarningmessage.Notably,nootherimagesarepermittedonthepackaging.
Thepushformaximumblandnesswillalsoextendtothebrandelementwhichcanbedisplayedin
anyfontstyleprovidedthefontappearsinasingle,uniformcolourwhichisnotfluorescentnorhas
thelustreormetalnorhasfluorescentormetallicpropertiesintheink.Alsoonthelistofrestrictions
aretextures,anyraisedfeatures,embossing,decorativeridges,bulgesaswellasfeaturessuch
asheatactivatedink,fold-outpanelsandcut-outwindows.
Aswithatrademarkassociatedwithgoodsandservicesinanyindustry,
theprudentapproach(preferablybeforecommencinganyuse)istoverifyitsavailabilityfromthe
purviewoftheTrademarksActtosafeguardagainstlegalactions.However,foracannabisrelated
trademark,itmaynotbeenoughgiventhenumerousrestrictionsspecificallyimposedinthe
cannabisindustry.Consultingaprofessionalbeforeadoptingyourcannabisbrandisstrongly
recommendedbecausemultiplelayersofbrandingprohibitionswillimpactthekindoftrademarks
andrelatedmarketing/promotionalcampaignsthatcanbeusedinCanada.
Formoreinformation,pleasecontactROBIC’sCannabisGroup.