Legalizing and strictly regulating cannabis: Youth and adults

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The Cannabis Act sets out a system for legalizing, strictly regulating and restricting access to cannabis

Federal restrictions to protect youth

Minimum age of 18 to purchase
Public education and awareness campaign
Requiring child resistant packaging and warning labels

Prohibitions

Products appealing to youth
Packaging or labelling cannabis in a manner that makes it appealing to youth
Selling cannabis through a self-service display or vending machine
Promoting cannabis, except in narrow circumstances where the promotion could not be seen by a young person
Penalties: Up to $5 million fine or 3 years in jail

Two new offences

Giving or selling to youth
Using a youth to commit a cannabis-related offence
Penalties: Up to 14 years in jail

I'm an adult. What will I be allowed to do under the new system?
ALLOWED	PROHIBITED
Possession up to the limit Up to 30 grams in public of licit dried cannabis and equivalent in non-dried Sharing up to 30 grams among adults Purchase and Consumption From a licensed retailer Minimum age of 18 (or higher if set by province/territory) Up to possession limit (30 grams) Initially available: dried and fresh cannabis, cannabis oil Other products (e.g. edibles) available later Home cultivation Up to 4 plants per residence From legal seeds/seedlings Local oversight (e.g. registration or permit) Make cannabis-containing products at home, such as food and drink No use of dangerous organic solvents Medical Access to cannabis for medical purposes will be maintained Authorization of health care professional Home or designated production Direct order from licensed producer with secure delivery through mail or by courier	Driving while impaired by a drug (including cannabis) Driving within two hours of having an illegal level of drugs in blood (new) ^{Table 1 Footnote 1} Penalties can range from $1,000 to life imprisonment depending on the level of drugs in blood and whether or not someone was hurt or killed Illegal distribution or sale Tickets for small amounts Up to 14 years in jail Possession over the limit Tickets for small amounts Up to 5 years less a day in jail Giving or selling to youth (new) Up to 14 years in jail Using a youth to commit a cannabis-related offence (new) Up to 14 years in jail Taking cannabis across international borders Up to 14 years in jail Production of cannabis beyond home cultivation limits or with dangerous organic solvents Tickets for small amounts Up to 14 years in jail
Table 1 Footnote 1 In impaired driving legislation Return to footnote 1 referrer

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Date modified:: 2021-09-09