share price, page-249

You didn't include the next paragraph, which addresses this point:

"If one assumes the demand among 6% of the population to be 1 gram per day, another 6% consumes 5 grams per month and 15% consume just a gram per month, the annual demand based on 36 million residents would amount to 982 million grams in a mature market."

So Health Canada estimates inventories will be a total of 50 million grams, flower and oil. And the article estimates demand to be 982 million grams. Hence the shortage.

Production does continue apace, but the bulk is outdoor, which restricts the number of crops that can be grown in a year (indoor faster obviously), and oil production also takes more time. But the underlying conclusion of the article is that Canada will have a shortage, whether its 50 million grams of supply for 982 million grams of demand remains to be seen. And even if producers double production and get it into distribution by the time rec starts there will still be a large shortfall on these numbers.

And bear in mind these are all annual numbers, as in annual demand and annual supply. Your estimate of current inventories are "about 40 joints per smoker" is less than one a week per smoker for the year. Just from the casual smokers I know I'd call that a shortage.

Funny how your comment seeks by omission to impart such a different conclusion.