Canada became the second nation in the world to legalize recreational marijuana on Wednesday Oct. 17, 2018.
“It’s been too easy for our kids to get marijuana- and for criminals to reap the profits. Today, we change that. Our plan to legalize and regulate marijuana just passed the Senate,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told CNN. In 2017, the unregulated weed industry made an approximate $9 billion. Regulating this industry will do nothing but benefit Canada’s economy.
As revolutionary as this is, there are still some legal stipulations that go along with this legalization. For starters, depending on the provinces, you must be at least of the age of 19 (there are two provinces that you can be 18) in order to purchase at a dispensary.
It is possible to buy weed online. The card and signer need to be over the age of 18 or 19 (again depending on the province). However, in Quebec the government has promised to raise that age requirement to 21.
You can buy weed either in an actual store or online. American citizens should know that credit and debit cards from the United States will not go through with purchases because it is still illegal on the federal level to purchase marijuana. American citizens would have to go to an actual physical store and pay with cash in order to purchase weed.
It is also illegal to bring weed and weed products across the border into the United States. Even though there are states where it is legal, because it is still federally outlawed that means that it is still illegal to bring it through Customs.
It is legal to smoke in public, but there are certain restrictions. First being that people who smoke weed are also under the same laws as people who smoke cigarettes. They are not allowed to smoke inside a building and must be about 60 feet from buildings once outside. Also, smoking weed around schools, parks and children’s playgrounds is strictly prohibited. Smoking around children is illegal.
Smoking in cars is also illegal in Canada. If there is weed in a car then it needs to be in a sealed container and kept in a secure location away from the driver. Officials have said that it is best if it is kept in the trunk. Driving while high is considered as driving under the influence. This is under zero tolerance in Canada. It is punishable by a fine from $500- $5,000, and in some cases it can result in prison time.
It is still unclear as to what will become of those persons who were convicted of weed related crimes and thus imprisoned. It is possible that the Canadian government will commute their sentences or at least offer some reparations. This event will likely influence how other countries decide to deal with drugs as well.