After more than two years of chatter, marijuana will officially become legal in Canada effective Oct. 17, says the federal government.
The Cannabis Act officially received royal assent last week with Prime Minster Justin Trudeau subsequently announcing Oct. 17 as the date of legalization.
Until then cannabis will remain illegal to buy, posses, or use unless authorized by the government for medical or research purposes.
According to the Government of Canada website the new legal framework takes a public health approach to cannabis legalization and regulation, with the government noting the new law will help to, “better prevent youth from accessing cannabis, displace the illegal cannabis market, and protect public health and safety with product quality and safety requirements for cannabis.”
While the federal government passed the Cannabis Act, they note a lot of the rules will come from each individual province or territory, who are able to set the legal minimum age, where it can be purchased, and where it can be used.
According to the Government of Saskatchewan, possession will be legal up to 30 grams, as set out by the Canadian Government.
Saskatchewan meanwhile, has set their legal age for non-medical consumption at 19 years old, while impaired driving will still remain illegal.
With 19 being the legal age of non-medical consumption, possession will be illegal for anyone under the age of 19.
Possession of more than five grams will be a criminal offense subject to the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
The Canadian Government will also be placing a restriction on household plants, with home owners legally allowed to grow up to four plants per household.
While cannabis will soon be legal in Canada it will remain illegal to transport cannabis across the Canadian border, either entering or leaving the country.
