The legalization of cannabis in Canada had been in the works for many years. Since October 17, 2018, residents are able to grow both medical and recreational cannabis for their own consumption.
The average person know this much. However, there are still some unanswered questions that we will be covering in this in this article so pay close attention.
What Is The Cannabis Act?
Simply put, the Cannabis Act is a set of laws that were created to tell citizens how, where and when they can use cannabis. The Act also involves the regulations for growing your own cannabis plants and the health effects involved in using cannabis.
The Cannabis Act lays out the rules regarding the distribution and possession of cannabis in order to prevent it from getting into the hands of minors. The act also includes the repercussions of disobeying these laws.
Adult Possession
Though the main purpose of the Cannabis Act is to prevent it from getting into the hands of minors, there are rules in place regarding adult possession of cannabis.
Though the laws vary slightly in each province, generally, persons must be 18 or 19 years old to be able to use recreational weed legally. Furthermore, they cannot purchase or possess more than 30 grams at a time in public.
To purchase cannabis, persons must go to approved retailers in their province or territory. Citizens are also limited to four recreational plants per household.
Cannabis Laws Per Province
Cannabis laws are generally the same throughout Canada. But slight variations exist in terms of the legal age of consumption and purchase, and whether or not growth is permitted.
For more information on your province, click its link below:
Ontario
Crossing The Border With Cannabis
Entering Canada With Cannabis Products
Persons are not permitted to cross the border with cannabis even if they have a medical prescription. If they have cannabis or cannabis products, they are required to declare these products to the Canada Border Services Agency . Failure to do so will result in a serious fine or get a criminal record.
Leaving Canada With Cannabis And Entering The United States
Transporting marijuana out of the country is illegal under the Cannabis act, whether you fly or drive across the Canadian border. If you attempt to, you will face charges and even be denied entry into the United States or your desired destination.
Crossing Provincial And Territorial Borders With Cannabis
You can cross provincial borders with cannabis products depending on the rules and regulations of the area to which you are travelling.
For instance, if the province you are travelling from requires you to be at least 18 years old to consume cannabis, but the province you are travelling to requires you to be at least 19 years old, you would be breaking the law.
Cannabis Impairment
Cannabis impairs the body even up to 24 hours after the high fades away. This, of course, depends on how much you ingested, and other factors. It has an impact on your judgement and reaction time and in this state, you should not be driving or working.
Driving Under The Influence Of Cannabis
It is not uncommon to see ads and billboards about driving under the influence of alcohol. Doing so has a lot of negative effects and can result in fines, jail time and even the loss of life.
Police and law enforcement officials have received training to detect cannabis impairment since recreation marijuana was legalized. Though it not as easy as testing for the influence of alcohol, officers have a series of tests they can conduct. The most obvious is the smell or possession of cannabis. Other tests include the Standard Field Sobriety Test, Drug Recognition Expert evaluation and even oral fluid or blood samples testing.
Working Under The Influence Of Cannabis
Common sense will tell you that consuming cannabis while at work can get you fired. Showing up to work while under the influence of cannabis at work can also get you fired. But, it can also lead to fines or arrest if your impairment endangers other employees.
Additional Information
Because the Cannabis Act is new, you can expect alterations to be made to the existing rules and regulations in the future. For instance, the minimum age can be increased, and possession limits can be lowered, if needed.
New laws, court cases and problems are also expected in the future. But once you have obtained your license to grow your own medical marijuana, you should be good to go.
