While buying weed in Canada isn’t legal for recreational purposes yet, it won’t be long until it is.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s federal government has vowed to legalize marijuana by July, 2018.
This will mean every adult in Canada will be able to grow and purchase small amounts of cannabis.
Canadians will eventually be able to buy pot online from licensed producers and have it delivered right to their front door.
As it stands in the country right now, there are several mail order medical marijuana operations. However, the marketplace is about to explode online for those who use weed recreationally.
Before buying marijuana online, when it becomes legal, you must first understand why Trudeau’s government is doing it… and how.
Why is Buying Cannabis Being Legalized?
Anticipated Canadian cannabis use is among the highest across the globe.
In 2015, more than 20% of youth said they had used pot the previous year and 30% said they would if it was legal.
The government’s goal in legalizing and regulating the pot market is to keep drugs away from youth. They also want to stop organized crime from profiting off of the illegal drug scene.
The first thing to know is that you must be over 18 years of age to purchase it. Even though buying cannabis is soon to be legal, and people will be able to buy it online, only adults will be able to.
CBC reports that “the federal law will prohibit anyone younger than 18 from buying recreational weed, but provincial and territorial governments can choose to set higher targets.”
Buying Weed in Canada Under the New Law
Even though cannabis will soon be legal, there will be some very strict regulations.
The Cannabis Act (not yet in place) will mean buying weed, cannabis oil, plants, and seeds will all be legal.
People will be able to possess up to 30 grams of legal, dry cannabis. They can also share that same amount with other people.
In addition, people will be able to grow up to four plants each, so long as they are under one metre tall.
Lastly, people will be able to make edibles such as brownies and cookies. It is still unclear if edibles will be sold legally though.
Provincial Laws For Buying Marijuana
According to The Georgia Straight, provinces and municipalities will play a role in how marijuana is to be used, just like tobacco or alcohol.
Provinces will be able to:
- Increase the minimum age of those buying pot
- Decrease the amount a person can have on them
- Create additional requirements for growing weed at home
Additional restrictions will control where people are eating and smoking pot in public. Similar to city bylaws that make smoking cigarettes illegal in certain areas, they will have the same power with pot.
Cities will be able to create restrictions and will be the regulatory body that deals with nuisance complaints.
While the federal government has stated that it will be legal to cross provincial borders with pot, one must keep in mind the different regulations from province to province.
Know Your Provider Before Buying Weed in Canada 2018
Even though buying cannabis will be legalized, each and every distributor will need an approved license from Health Canada.
Licenses are given out after a long and in-depth analysis of the applicant is done. This includes quality control checks, security assurance, and factory inspections.
The goal is to keep the illegal producers out of the market and ensure safe distribution to the public.
So before buying weed in Canada 2018, ensure you’re actually buying legal marijuana. The Government of Canada keeps a public list of approved, legal cannabis producers, which is updated daily.
Don’t Get in Trouble Buying Weed in Canada
While buying, possessing, and consuming weed will soon be legal in Canada, there are still a number of ways to get yourself in hot water.
For example, adults found with more than 30 grams of dry cannabis (but less than 50 grams) could receive a $200 fine.
They would also lose the marijuana. However, no criminal record would be on file.
But it can get a lot worse than that…
For example, there are going to be strict regulations about importing and exporting non-medical marijuana.
In a nutshell, it will be illegal although there will be very specific exceptions.
If you’re caught trying to cross Canadian borders with your pot, there will be criminal penalties and you could potentially face prosecution.
In addition to all of that, Canada is looking at strict penalties for impaired driving (driving high).
How does the 30 gram limit work?
Wondering how to know if the cannabis you’re carrying is within the legal limit?
Thankfully, the government has come up with equivalencies for all products (not just dried buds).
One gram of dried cannabis is equivalent to:
- 5 grams of fresh cannabis,
- 15 grams of edible product,
- 70 grams of liquid product,
- 1 cannabis plant seed
- 0.25 grams of concentrates (solid or liquid)
Check out this visual guide/ short video from Leafly, to see what different amounts actually look like.
Stay tuned to the Beaver Bud Blog for the latest updates about buying weed in Canada 2018!
