Maximum Yield Cannabis USA October/November 2018 | Page 42

“
I AM PROUD of the work accomplished
by our Government, Parliamentarians, and all
Canadians who contributed to this important
shift in our country’s approach to cannabis.”
All cannabis provided to provinces and territories will come
from federally licensed producers. Now that royal assent has
been granted, purchasing may begin so that distributors and
retailers can prepare to open in October. No sales will be legal
until the official date.
In addition, recreational cannabis in Canada must remain
within its borders. It is currently illegal and will remain
illegal to take cannabis out of the country, as well as bring it
back from other countries.
Provinces and Recreational Cannabis in Canada
While cannabis will be federally legalized, territories
and provinces will also have the power to enact their own
restrictions and laws. Here are a few highlights:
• Ontario: Adults age 19 years or older will be able to
buy cannabis from government-operated storefronts
or websites. You’ll be able to cultivate up to four plants
and consume on private property (residences) only —
however, landlords will be able to restrict use.
• Quebec: Like Ontario, cannabis purchases must
be made via government-run websites and retail
locations. The minimum legal age here will be 18,
and smoking will be allowed in the same areas
as tobacco, except for university and CEGEP
(vocational college) campuses. Growing at home
will not be permitted in Quebec. Whether this will
be enforceable remains to be seen. According to
Wilson-Raybould, because homegrown cannabis will
be legal at the federal level, citizens will be able to
challenge the province’s ban in court.
• Alberta: Here, the legal age will be 18 and Canadians
will be able to buy cannabis in both retail stores and
online from government-run sites. You’ll be able to
grow your own, but landlords can restrict it. Smoking
will be prohibited in cars, near children, and where
tobacco is not allowed.
• British Columbia: The minimum age in this province
will be 19. You’ll be able to buy at stores or websites
operated by either the government or private
companies. You can grow up to four plants, but they
must be hidden from public view. Smoking will have
the same restrictions as in Alberta.
New Laws for Youths and Impaired Driving
The Cannabis Act also creates new criminal offenses
designed to protect Canadian youths from using canna-
bis. New and significant penalties will be imposed
for selling or providing cannabis to youths, as well as
involving them in the distribution, sale, import/export or
production of cannabis.
Many of the advertising restrictions currently used
for tobacco products will also apply, and selling,
packaging, or labeling cannabis products to appeal
to youths will be prohibited.
As for drug-impaired driving, Bill C-46, the Impaired
Driving Act, was passed at the same time as recreational
cannabis in Canada. This parallel legislation includes
harsh punishments for both drug and alcohol-related
driving offenses. According to the new law, Canadians
having two to five nanograms of THC per milliliter of
blood within two hours of driving would be subject to a
$1,000 fine. For five or more nanograms, hybrid offenses
(drugs and alcohol), and repeat offenders, a maximum of
10 years in jail is not out of the question.
Most alarmingly, C-46 gives police the power to demand
and perform mandatory alcohol screening on drivers
without reasonable grounds to suspect impairment.
They can simply pull you over at any time.
Final Thoughts
Legalized recreational cannabis in Canada goes
into effect on October 17, ending nearly 100 years of
prohibition and making Canada the first of the G7
countries to enact this type of federal-level policy.
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