G/TBT/N/CAN/438
12 February 2015 
(15-0893)  Page: 1/2
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English/French
 
  NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member: CANADA 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):    
2. Agency responsible: Department of Health 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above : 
Canada's Notification Authority and Enquiry Point 
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada 
Technical Barriers and Regulations Division (TIB) 111 Sussex Drive Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2 
Canada 
Telephone: (343)203-4273 Fax: (613)943-0346 
Email: enquirypoint@international.gc.ca  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applic able, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Synthetic cannabinoids 
(ICS: 11.120) 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document: Notice to 
Interested Parties - Proposed Order Amending Schedule II to the Controlled Drugs and 
Substances Act and Regulations Amending the Schedule to the Narcotic Control Regulations 
with Respect to Synthetic Cannabinoids (2 pages, available in English and French) 
6. Description of content: Synthetic cannabinoids are a rapidly emerging class of new 
psychoactive substances. These substances are often mixed with dried plant materials, marketed under a variety of brand names and labelled as "legal alternatives" to cannabis. 
These illicit products have achieved widespread distribution worldwide, creating significant 
risks to health and safety. 
This notice provides interested stakeholders with the opportunity to provide comments on 
Health Canada's intent to pursue amendments to Schedule II to the Controlled Drugs and 
Substances Act (CDSA) and the Schedule to the Narcotic Control Regulations (NCR) in order to make more explicit the controlled status of synthetic cannabinoids. 
The CDSA and its regulations provide a legislat ive framework for the control of substances 
that can alter mental processes and that may present a risk to public health and safety 
when diverted or misused. 
Although synthetic cannabinoids developed solely for illicit purposes in recent years are not 
expressly listed as such in Schedules to the CD SA and its regulations, they are captured by 
these Schedules and are controlled under the CDSA and NCR. However, with the rapid evolving illicit market for synthetic cannabinoids, which poses a public health and safety 
risk in Canada, Health Canada has determined that further specificity in the Schedules to G/TBT/N/CAN/438 
 
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  the CDSA and NCR regarding the controlled status of these synthetic cannabinoids would 
better enable the administration and enforc ement of the CDSA and its regulations. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: 
Protection of human health and the environment 
8. Relevant documents:  Canada Gazette , Part I, 31 January 2015, pages 124-125 
(available in English and French) 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   Anticipated for Spring 2015 
Proposed date of entry into force:   On the date the regulations are adopted   
10. Final date for comments: 10 April 2015 
11. Texts available from: Nati onal enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
The electronic version of the regulatory text can be downloaded at: 
http://www.gazette.gc.c a/rp-pr/p1/2015/2015-01 -31/pdf/g1-14905.pdf   
http://www.gazette.gc.ca/ rp-pr/p1/2015/2015-01-31/ html/notice-avis-eng.php   
http://www.gazette.gc.ca/ rp-pr/p1/2015/2015-01-31/ html/notice-avis-fra.php