



The Great White North could find itself in a great white puff of pot smoke as Canada makes history by legalizing marijuana.

What started as an election promise by Justin Trudeau in 2015, before he was prime minister, has led to Canada becoming the second country in the world to legalize the production, sales and distribution of recreational cannabis. Uruguay broke the mould in December 2013, but Canada is the first country in the G20 to move forward with pot legalization.

Cannabis is being legalized in Canada through the Cannabis Act, the first alteration to the Canadian Criminal Code as it relates to pot prohibition in 95 years. It allows adults in Canada to do the following:

Purchase fresh cannabis, dried cannabis, cannabis oil, cannabis seeds, or cannabis plants from retailers authorized by the provinces and territories.

Consume cannabis in locations authorized by local jurisdictions.

Possess up to 30 grams of dried legal cannabis or equivalent in non-dried form in public.

Share up to 30 grams of dried legal cannabis with other adults.

Grow up to four cannabis plants per household (not per person) for personal use, from licensed seeds or seedlings from a licensed supplier.

Make legal cannabis-containing products at home, such as food and drinks, provided that dangerous organic solvents are not used in making them.

The prime minister placed the responsibility of selling, distributing and regulating marijuana under provincial and territorial governments, who will also be reaping the profits of pot sales, making Canada the world’s largest marketplace for pot stock.

If you wish to consume cannabis in Canada, you could face legal trouble if you fail to follow the rules.

Each province and territory has their own plans for allowing Canadians to legally purchase and consume cannabis, but the differences are key. For example, most provinces allow pot growing in households, but that’s not permitted in Quebec. Most jurisdictions say 30 grams is the limit for personal possession, yet in Quebec, up to 150 grams per person is permissible. British Columbia will allow consumption anywhere that tobacco is allowed, but you can only light up on private property while in Yukon.

As of October 17, 2018, the only legal way to purchase cannabis is through the Ontario Cannabis Store’s website. Find out more: https://t.co/0z7Rh17ssg pic.twitter.com/HjczVj4gUo — Ontario government (@ONgov) October 12, 2018





On Wednesday morning, people were reporting problems accessing the Ontario Cannabis Store website after it went live at midnight. Spotify contacted Yahoo Canada to say the official storefront website was not down. Others said they were able to successfully able to access the site and purchase marijuana online. The government-run online retailer is currently the only legal avenue for pot purchasing in Canada’s most populous province.

The overwhelming demand for marijuana had been a concern for some wishing to purchase the drug legally. Some economists had warned before legalization that a lack of pot producers in the country could lead to shortages.

Journey to ‘Marijuanada’

In 2015, Trudeau’s Liberals ran on a federal election platform that included legalizing marijuana for all Canadians. While the New Democrats offered to decriminalize cannabis, the Liberals were the only major party in Canadian history to make pot legalization a pillar of public policy.

The Liberals argued their plan would keep marijuana away from children, ease the burden on the criminal justice system and get profits out of the hands of criminals.

The platform was part of the reason why the Liberals won a majority government mandate on Oct. 19, 2015.

Trudeau has angled the argument for pot legalization as a way to eliminate the black market for sales, which he says has made it easier for children to buy marijuana than it is to purchase alcohol.

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 & regulate marijuana just passed the Senate. #PromiseKept — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 20, 2018





“There’s no black market for beer,” the prime minister said in April 2017. “There’s no black market for alcohol.”</s>Canada becomes first nation to legalise cannabis

TORONTO: Canada became the first industrialised nation to legalise recreational cannabis on Wednesday, but a lawful buzz will be hard to come by in its biggest cities like Toronto and Vancouver, which will have no stores open.

Weed enthusiasts in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada’s easternmost province, kicked off the first permissible sales at midnight. Over 100 people braved the cold and wind in the province’s capital St. John’s, lining up outside a Tweed-branded store owned by Canopy Growth Corp. , the world’s most recognized cannabis producer.

Canopy’s Chief Executive Bruce Linton rang in the first sales to residents Ian Power and Nikki Rose. "I came out tonight to be the first person in Canada to purchase the first legal gram of recreational cannabis, to help see the end of prohibition in Canada finally," Power said.

The day was historic for the country as adult Canadians will be able to legally smoke recreational marijuana after nearly a century-long ban. However, many provincial governments’ approval of only a small number of shops so far, and a shortage of weed supplied to these stores, means most Canadians’ first toke on Wednesday will likely be of black-market pot.</s>Canada became the first industrialized nation to legalise recreational cannabis on Wednesday, but a lawful buzz will be hard to come by in its biggest cities like Toronto and Vancouver, which will have no stores open.

Weed enthusiasts in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada’s easternmost province, kicked off the first permissible sales at midnight. Over 100 people braved the cold and wind in the province’s capital St. John’s, lining up outside a Tweed-branded store owned by Canopy Growth Corp., the world’s most recognized cannabis producer.

Canopy’s Chief Executive Bruce Linton rang in the first sales to residents Ian Power and Nikki Rose.

“I came out tonight to be the first person in Canada to purchase the first legal gram of recreational cannabis, to help see the end of prohibition in Canada finally,” Power said. The day was historic for the country as adult Canadians will be able to legally smoke recreational marijuana after nearly a century-long ban.

However, many provincial governments’ approval of only a small number of shops so far, and a shortage of weed supplied to these stores means most Canadians’ first toke on Wednesday will likely be of black-market pot.

“There will be a lot of celebrations on the day, and it will almost all be with illegal cannabis” in some of Canada’s biggest cities, said Brad Poulos, an instructor and cannabis business expert at Ryerson University in Toronto. “Recreational cannabis users in Canada … will just continue with their (existing) sources of supply until the legal system catches up.”

Despite the dearth of stores in Canada’s biggest cities, consumers can buy legal marijuana online, from provincial governments or licensed retailers, although delivery will take a few days.

Other countries around the world, many of whom are just approving medical marijuana, are watching Canada’s recreational legalization, which combines federal rules with varying provincial regulations.

The move is a political win for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who vowed to legalise cannabis in his 2015 election campaign. That pledge was aimed at taking profits away from organized crime and regulating the production, distribution and consumption of a product that millions of Canadians had been consuming illegally.

But provinces and businesses have struggled to prepare, and legalization was pushed back from original expectations of a July start to enable setting up distribution and sales networks.

In the run-up to legalization, cannabis companies have been on a tear, as companies struck deals while others went public, creating an investor frenzy.

The federal government and many provinces have been cautious, starting with limited stores and products, including no edibles for a year, and tight control over supply.

WEED SHORTAGE Ontario, home to Canada’s most populous city, Toronto, will have no physical stores until April 2019, due to a change to the province’s retail model by a new provincial government.

British Columbia, which plans both province-run and private outlets, has only one government store 350 kilometres (220 miles) from its biggest city, Vancouver. Private store licenses will only be issued after legalization, the province’s Minister of Public Safety Mike Farnworth said.

“October 18th is going to look very much like October 16th, in many ways,” Farnworth said.

Even in provinces with more shops, empty shelves are likely due to a shortage of product. A study by the University of Waterloo and economic policy think tank C.D. Howe Institute found legal supply will satisfy under 60 per cent of demand in the early months, though that will change as production increases.

“October 17 will… probably be the least elegant day,” Canopy’s CEO Linton said. “But the key message is not how it works on the first day but that there is the first day.”

Law enforcement going forward could be patchy. In August, Canada approved a device to detect levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabis’s psychoactive element, in drivers’ oral fluids.

But many large police departments will forego the C$5,000 device, Adam Palmer, president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, told reporters on Monday.

Draeger Safety Canada, which makes the device, has shipped some units, but a two-week federal funding delay has put further orders on hold, although it expects demand for between 300 and 500 units through March, Managing Director Rob Clark said.

Canada has invested C$274 million to enforce the new laws and some provinces have allocated their own funding, but Palmer said police will not crack down on illegal stores right away.

“When the law changes on the 17th, we’re not going to see a big change overnight,” Palmer said. “Police aren’t … chomping at the bit to go out and start raiding stores.”

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App</s>Canada has become the second country after Uruguay to legalise possession and use of recreational cannabis.

The nationwide market for cannabis opened on Wednesday at midnight amid lingering questions about the impact on health, the law and public safety.

Preparations included mailings to 15m households detailing the new cannabis laws and public awareness campaigns.

But there remain concerns, including about the readiness for police forces to tackle drug impaired driving.

Canadian provinces and municipalities have been preparing for months for the end of cannabis prohibition.

Provinces and territories are responsible for setting out many of the details for where cannabis can be bought and consumed within their jurisdictions.

This has created a patchwork of legislation across the country as jurisdictions choose more or less restrictive frameworks for selling and using cannabis.

Shops in the province of Newfoundland, the most easterly time zone in Canada, opened as midnight struck for the first legal sales of cannabis in the country.

How ready is Canada for cannabis?

There remain unanswered questions on some key issues around how legal cannabis will work in Canada.

A number of analysts are predicting a shortage of recreational marijuana in the first year of legalisation as production and licensing continues to ramp up to meet demand.

And the marketplace itself is still in its infancy.

Ontario, Canada's most populous province, will only begin opening retail stores next spring, though residents will be able to order cannabis online.

British Columbia, one of the provinces with the highest rates of cannabis use, will only have one legal store open on Wednesday.

Until retail locations are more widely available, some unlicensed cannabis retailers, which have flourished in the years since the law was first proposed, may stay open.

It is unclear if police will crack down on them immediately, or if they will turn a blind eye.

Legal pot has been an inescapable topic for months in Canada, as governments and companies prepare in earnest for 17 October.

That day is finally here, and Canadians will learn just how much - or how little - the new framework will change the country. But this is not just a domestic affair.

With global trends shifting away from a strict prohibition of cannabis, the world will be watching this national experiment in drug liberalisation.

A measure of success - whether legalisation will be a win for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ahead of the 2019 federal election - will depend on whether it meets his stated goals: restricting access of the drug to youth - who are among the heaviest users in Canada - reducing the burden of cannabis laws on the justice system, and undercutting the illicit market for the drug.

And if the outcomes are positive, other countries might just be more willing to follow suit.

Legalisation fulfils a 2015 campaign promise by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the leader of the governing Liberal Party.

The prime minister has argued that Canada's nearly century-old laws criminalising use of the drug have been ineffective, given that Canadians are still among the world's heaviest users.

He said the new law is designed to keep drugs out of the hands of minors and profits out of the hands of criminals.
• Who wins and who loses under new law
• Canada cannabis legalisation: 'We know the world is watching'

The federal government also predicts it will raise $400m a year in tax revenues on the sale of cannabis.

Cannabis possession first became a crime in Canada in 1923 but medical use has been legal since 2001.

Canada follows in the footsteps of Uruguay, which became the first country in the world to legalise the sale of cannabis for recreational use in 2013. A number of US states have also voted to end prohibition.

Medical marijuana is also gaining ground in many European countries.

What are the new rules around cannabis?

Adults will be able buy cannabis oil, seeds and plants and dried cannabis from licensed producers and retailers and to possess up to 30 grams (one ounce) of dried cannabis in public, or its equivalent.

Edibles, or cannabis-infused foods, will not be immediately available for purchase but will be within a year of the bill coming into force. The delay is meant to give the government time to set out regulations specific to those products.

It will be illegal to possess more than 30 grams in public, grow more than four plants per household and to buy from an unlicensed dealer.
• Legalising cannabis: What you need to know

Penalties for some infraction will be severe. Someone caught selling the drug to a minor could be jailed for up to 14 years.

Some critics say the penalties are too harsh and not proportional to similar laws like those around selling alcohol to minors.

What are some concerns once it is legal?

The end of prohibition will not mean an end to legal and health concerns regarding marijuana.

On Monday, the Canadian Medical Association Journal published an editorial calling legalisation "a national, uncontrolled experiment in which the profits of cannabis producers and tax revenues are squarely pitched against the health of Canadians".

There are also still some legal wrinkles to be worked out.

Canada has brought in new drug impaired driving offences, but doubts remain about the reliability of screening technology and the potential for drugged driving cases to clog up the courts.

Federal statistics indicate that about half of all cannabis users do not believe their driving is impaired after taking marijuana.

Government officials told reporters on Tuesday that they are currently considering a fast-track process to allow people who have been convicted of possession to apply for legal pardons. There are currently some 500,000 Canadians with existing criminal records for possession.

The change in national drug policy has also created headaches with the US, where the drug remains federally a controlled substance.

On Tuesday, the US Customs Border Protection Agency said border guards will have "broad latitude" to determine who is admissible to the country.

Border guards may ask Canadians if they smoke pot, and deny them entry if they believe they intend to do so in the US.

Canada has also been rolling out signs at all airports and border crossings to warn travellers that crossing international borders with the drug remains illegal.</s>The Canadian Medical Association’s (CMA) position on medical cannabis is coming under scrutiny again as legalization looms. After calling a few months back for an end to the federal government’s medical cannabis program once weed becomes legal October 17, the CMA has modified its position. It now says it supports a review of the medpot program under legalization in five years.

Dr. Jeff Blackmer, the CMA’s vice-president of medical professionalism, told CBC News recently that the recreational system would let people who feel cannabis might be a benefit to them access cannabis on their own.

“If anyone can go down to the local dispensary and get cannabis, there’s really no need for a separate medical authorization system.”

Except Ontario won’t have dispensaries, at least legal ones, until next spring. And those provinces that will once legalization kicks in require customers to be at least 19 (21 in some provinces). Seemingly anticipating the argument, Blackmer expressed that pediatric patients should be seen as exemptions to the rule and granted special access to the recreational system. Same with people who need to use cannabis to be able to work.

But all these special exemptions don’t sound so great to the patients and the parents of patients who have already fought against a rigorous system in order to gain freer access to the medical cannabis they need.

Health Canada says the government will continue to facilitate the medical cannabis program in Canada after legalization, with a review to come after five years.

That review was always a part of the legalization Task Force’s recommendations, which Health Canada says should “facilitate research with the goal of improving our knowledge of the risks and benefits of cannabis.”

The CMA claims “there is insufficient evidence on risks and benefits [of medicinal cannabis]... the proper dosage and potential interactions with other medications.”

The group has been echoing these sentiments for a while.

Dr. Michael Mohan, a family doctor based in Toronto who has referred patients for medical marijuana, notes that trusted studies on cannabis aren’t entirely unavailable for doctors.

For example, cannabis products have shown effectiveness in improving nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients in small studies. Similarly, studies have shown a benefit for cannabis in treating certain types of epilepsy.

But he agrees that a lack of studies prevents doctors from using cannabis as a first-choice treatment option for conditions including depression, anxiety, insomnia, PTSD and chronic pain.

“Unfortunately, there are very few large or high-quality research studies that clarify if cannabis is useful in these or almost any condition. Many doctors therefore consider medical cannabis an option of last resort,” Mohan tells NOW.

He’s hopeful legalization may have some positive impacts on the research side of things, which he says “has historically been hampered by its [cannabis's] legal and political status.”

He points out that medical cannabis may also require different strengths and compositions than would be appropriate for recreational use. Prescriptions for medical cannabis could also allow patients to receive insurance coverage for costs.

Besides, just because a medical system exists doesn’t mean a doctor has to prescribe it.

Sabrina Ramkellawan, president of the Clinical Research Association of Canada (CRAC), has spent 15 years working in clinical research, the last three as a leader in cannabinoid studies.

Ramkellawan tells NOW she is not surprised by the CMA’s back and forth. She says “they were put in the position to be the gatekeepers for authorizing medical cannabis without the education, safety and guidance on how to dose due to lack of clinical trials.”

Meanwhile, government regulations under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations enabled companies to produce and sell medical cannabis without requiring the same scientific validation and clinical trials as other drugs.

This was the only way for patients to legally access cannabis, but it disincentivized public funding available for cannabis research.

That’s why Ramkellawan, who also does planning research at biopharmaceutical company TerrAscend, believes collaboration between Health Canada, physicians, pharmacists, health care providers, patients, patient advocates, researchers and scientists will be key for research development.

Many in the cannabis community and beyond are hopeful that large corporations who have already capitalized off the plant and those getting into the cannabis industry (there are rumours of Coca-Cola entering the scene) will help with the continued funding needed for research.

As Ramkellawan notes, the type of randomized, long-term and large-scale studies that are lacking can be very expensive – a minimum $50,000 for small survey-based studies and upwards of $25 million for large-scale trials. The other challenge is that large-scale randomized clinical trials are also time-consuming.

Many Canadian and American cannabis companies have already funded medical research. CRAC recently held an event highlighting a SickKids study on epilepsy and cannabis sponsored by Tilray and Solace Health Network.

Ramkellawan reminds us that while more studies are indeed important, we must also recognize and respect research that has already been done.

There are currently some 48 studies being conducted in Canada. There are also licensed producers, hospitals and academic centres in Canada conducting independent cannabis clinical trials.

Legalization should be the first step in gaining more medical knowledge about the plant, but not the last.

“There are more than 100 cannabinoids to which we still have not unlocked the science and medical properties,” Ramkellawan says. “We have just scratched the surface of what cannabis can do.”</s>Recreational cannabis is officially legalized across Canada today, with provinces and municipalities adapting to federal legislation by implementing policies regulating the public consumption of cannabis.

Cranbrook is no exception, adopting cannabis bylaws on Monday evening that regulated land-use zoning designations for cannabis retail locations, while also tweaking the clean air bylaws regulating where people can consume their cannabis.

The cannabis bylaw package also included tweaks to tobacco and vaping regulations.

Based on the clean air bylaw, cannabis consumption is prohibited:

Inside public buildings, in and around parks, playgrounds and cemeteries, sidewalks and other public right-of-ways, in transit shelters and bus stops, inside vehicles or equipment owned or leased by the City, or during Outdoor Special Events unless a designated area is created in agreement by the City and the event organizers. In each case, there also cannot be use of cannabis within a 7 meter buffer around any of these areas.

Violations for cannabis or tobacco consumption, along with vaping, can result in a $150 ticket.

As of Monday evening, Mayor Lee Pratt noted that no applications for a cannabis retail licence have been submitted to the city.</s>Now that recreational cannabis is almost officially legal, Canadians across the country are no doubt curious as to where or how they’ll be able to purchase marijuana.

Rest assured, though the federal Cannabis Act has made it legal to consume, carry, purchase and sell cannabis — within limits, of course — the various provincial and territorial governments have chosen to interpret the provisions of the Act in different ways.

As such, would-be cannabis connoisseurs in Ontario will have different purchase restrictions imposed on them than cannabis confederates in Manitoba.

Below is a comprehensive look at how to purchase cannabis online across Canada:

Canada’s westernmost province has chosen to regulate online cannabis sales through the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB).

Residents of Canada’s Pacific province over the age of 19 will be able to purchase cannabis through the B.C. Cannabis Store’s online sale platform, though it’s worth noting that online orders will be subject to a maximum 48-hour processing period.

A spokesperson for the BCLDB told MobileSyrup via email that a third-party delivery provider will be responsible for shipping orders once they’ve been processed.

Additionally, B.C. is taking steps to firmly impose age restrictions on cannabis purchases. Not only will online sales be restricted by a series of age gates, once deliveries have been shipped, consumers will need to prove their age at the point of delivery as well.

Canada’s energy province has taken a two-pronged approach to cannabis retail sales.

On one hand, Albertans will be able to purchase cannabis from private brick-and-mortar stores. On the other, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) has set up an AGLC-operated online sales platform that will allow residents to have cannabis delivered directly to their doors.

According to the province’s website, AlbertaCannabis.org, Alberta plans on using Equifax records to verify consumers’ name, date of birth and address. If this verification fails, Alberta residents will be asked to upload a copy of their legal ID to the Alberta Cannabis website.

If the ID verification process fails, consumers will be asked to print off a barcode to take to Canada Post to verify their age.

“After the barcode is scanned and your ID is verified, we’ll receive your identity verification electronically and you’ll gain full access to shop on albertacannabis.org,” reads an excerpt from the website.

Additionally, deliveries have to be signed by someone 18-years-old or older.

Whereas many provincial and territorial governments have chosen to implement their own online cannabis retail marketplace, Canada’s wheat province has chosen to place the burden of online sales on the permit-bearing private retailers who will operate brick-and-mortar stores.

It’s worth noting that cannabis licence-holders need to have an established retail space to operate an online storefront.

A Government of Saskatchewan spokesperson told MobileSyrup during a phone call that it’ll be up to businesses to set up online stores, and no licensed retailer is under any legal obligation to sell cannabis online.

The legal age to consume cannabis in Saskatchewan will be 18-years-old.

Much like Saskatchewan, the Government of Manitoba has chosen to place the burden of maintaining online cannabis stores on licensed private retailers.

Only licensed private retailers with brick-and-mortar stores will be able to sell cannabis online in Canada’s keystone province.

A Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries spokesperson was quite explicit that the Government of Manitoba will not be selling cannabis to consumers.

Instead, the province’s role is to “secure producers that are licensed by Health Canada, and manage the wholesale distribution of cannabis under a direct-to-retail model.”

The legal age to consume cannabis in Manitoba will be 19-years-old.

Not only did the June 7th, 2018 election eliminate the Ontario Liberal Party’s position as a top-two contender in the province’s legislative assembly, the elections also gave now-Premier Doug Ford and his Ontario Conservative Party the opportunity to wipe clean former Premier Kathleen Wynne’s plans for the Ontario Cannabis Store.

Under Wynne, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) was slated to be the heartland province’s one-stop-shop for all things cannabis — including serving as the province’s online cannabis retailer.

However, Ford did away with the OCS’s brick-and-mortar plans, while maintaining the OCS as the go-to stop for online cannabis sales.

Until private retail locations launch on April 1st, 2019, the OCS will be the only place that Ontario residents will be able to purchase cannabis legally.

Additionally, Canada Post will be responsible for delivering cannabis orders, and orders should be delivered with one-to-three days anywhere in Ontario.

The legal age to consume cannabis in Ontario will be 19-years-old.

Unlike the province’s approach to alcohol — which is provincially regulated, but can be sold through private channels — Quebec has chosen to take a public approach to cannabis.

Residents of La Belle Province will be able to purchase cannabis at Societe Quebecoise du Cannabis (SQDC) retail locations, as well as through the SQDC’s online marketplace.

The legal age to consume cannabis in Quebec will be 19-years-old, but the province has plans to increase the legal age to 21-years-old shortly.

Not only will New Brunswickers be able to purchase cannabis through government-owned-and-operated private retail channels, residents of the Loyalty province will also be able to visit the Cannabis NB website to place orders for delivery.

The legal age to consume cannabis in New Brunswick will be 19-years-old.

Much like many other maritime provinces, the Government of Nova Scotia has chosen to implement a purely public model for cannabis retail and online sales.

Nova Scotians looking to purchase cannabis will be able to do so by visiting Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) locations, as well as by visiting mynslc.com/cannabis.

Canada’s Bluenoser province has also taken a unique approach to prevent minors from shopping for cannabis online.

Rather than setting up a digital age gate, Nova Scotia residents will only be able to access the province’s online cannabis retail space by acquiring an online access code from physical NSLC locations.

Cards containing access codes will be available at all NSLC locations as of October 17th.

The legal age to consume cannabis will be 19-years-old.

As of October 17th, 2018, residents of Prince Edward Island will be able to purchase cannabis from one of four retail locations that were reportedly chosen based on population.

Additionally, residents of Canada’s Cradle of Confederation will be able to visit PEICannabisCorp.com to purchase cannabis online.

The Government of P.E.I. is still working on figuring out the specifics for cannabis home-delivery, and has yet to determine who will be responsible for providing delivery services.

The legal age to consume cannabis in P.E.I. will be 19-years-old.

While Licensed private retailers at brick-and-mortar locations will be responsible for supplying residents of Newfoundland and Labrador with access to governmentally regulated cannabis, the provincial government will be solely responsible for maintaining the province’s online cannabis retail space.

According to a Newfoundland Labrador Liquor Corporation spokesperson, not only will ShopCannabisNL.com be the province’s primary source for online sales, the government currently has “no plans to allow private retailers to sell online at this point in time.”

“We may re-evaluate in [the] future,” said the same spokesperson, in an email to MobileSyrup.

The legal age to consume cannabis in Newfoundland and Labrador will be 19-years-old.

Residents of Canada’s westernmost territory will be able to purchase cannabis at the Yukon Liquor Corporation’s temporary cannabis retail space at 120B Industrial Road.

Additionally, residents of the Land of the Midnight Sun will be able to visit CannabisYukon.org to purchase cannabis online.

It’s worth noting that the Government of Yukon will be solely responsible for selling cannabis to residents, but the province is “continuing to prepare for private sector retail” options once cannabis is formally legalized.

The legal age to consume cannabis in Yukon will be 19-years-old.

Northwest Territorians will be able to purchase cannabis online from the Northwest Territories Liquor and Cannabis Commission (NTLCC).

People from the Land of the People will also be able to purchase cannabis from some Northwest Territories Liquor Stores.

The legal age to consume cannabis in the Northwest Territories will be 19-years-old.

Thanks to an agreement between the Nunavut Liquor and Cannabis Commission and Canopy Growth, Nunavummiut from Nunavut will be able to purchase cannabis online through Tweed.com.

However, unlike every other province, residents of Nunavut will also be able to purchase cannabis over-the-phone, through a government-operated call line.

The legal age to consume cannabis in Nunavut will be 19-years-old.</s>Ottawa, Oct 17 (IANS) Canada has become the second country after Uruguay to legalise possession and use of recreational cannabis.

The nationwide market for cannabis opened Wednesday at midnight amid lingering questions about the impact on health, the law and public safety, the BBC reported.

Shops in the province of Newfoundland, the most easterly time zone in Canada, opened as midnight struck for the first legal sales of cannabis in the country.

Preparations included mailings to 15 million households — detailing the new cannabis laws and public awareness campaigns.

However, there remain concerns, including about the readiness of the police to tackle drug impaired driving, the BBC said.

Canadian provinces and municipalities have been preparing for months for the end of cannabis prohibition. They are the ones responsible for setting out many of the details — as to where recreational marijuana can be bought and consumed.

This has created a patchwork of legislation across the country as jurisdictions choose more or less restrictive frameworks for selling and using cannabis, the BBC said.

A number of analysts have predicted shortage of the recreational marijuana in the first year of legalisation as production and licensing would continue to be ramped up to meet the demand, with the marketplace still in its infancy.</s>Almost three years since the Trudeau Liberals were elected – cannabis products are now legal in Canada.

It was one of the biggest campaign promises for the party in 2015. Trudeau said it would fix a “failed system” and help “remove the criminal element” linked to the drug.

The government has argued that marijuana prohibition is very expensive and that legalization could significantly cut down on costs.

READ MORE: As Canada makes marijuana legal, the U.S. resorts to Prohibition-inspired tactics

The Cannabis Act was passed by the House of Commons in late 2017 and on Tuesday, June 19, 2018 the Senate approved Bill C-45, establishing the new legal regime, after seven months of intensive study and debate.

It received royal assent two days later.

There were reports that it would legal on Canada Day, but the date was moved back until the fall.

READ MORE: Canada Day 2018 shouldn’t be about legalizing marijuana: Bill Blair

Later than expected, the government announced Oct. 17 as the day Canadians could recreationally consume cannabis products.

It ended the almost century-old prohibition on marijuana in this country but it hasn’t come without opponents and challenges along the way.

WATCH: The long road to legalization — a look back at marijuana in Canada

WATCH MORE: Strict laws coming down Wednesday that will tell you where you are able to light up, and it will all depend on where you live in Canada.
• With its patchwork of half-baked, absurd laws, Canada isn’t ready for legal weed

People in this country – as long as they’re of age – can:
• Possess up to 30 grams of dried legal cannabis with other adults
• Grow up to four plants per household for personal use
• Make food or drinks at home containing cannabis

Each province has its own rules and regulations about how it will be distributed, enforced and how much you can possess.

In terms of how it can affect you – each person is different.

READ MORE: Is cannabis addictive? Is it a gateway drug?

The Government of Canada hopes people understand the impacts, risks and benefits before consuming.</s>Nearly a century of marijuana prohibition came to an end on Wednesday as Canada became the first major Western nation to legalise and regulate its sale and recreational use.



The change was praised by pot enthusiasts and investors in a budding industry that has seen pot stocks soar on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges, but sharply questioned by some health professionals and opposition politicians.

"We're not legalising cannabis because we think it's good for our health. We're doing it because we know it's not good for our children," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on the eve of the reform.

"We know we need to do a better job to protect our children and to eliminate or massively reduce the profits that go to organised crime."

The Cannabis Act, which fulfils a promise Trudeau made in the 2015 election campaign, makes Canada only the second nation after Uruguay to legalise the drug.

Its implementation will be scrutinised and dissected by Canadians ahead of the next election in 2019, as well as other nations that the prime minister has said may follow suit if the measure proves a success.

Trudeau himself admitted in 2013 to having smoked pot five or six times in his life, including at a dinner party with friends after being elected to parliament.

He has also said that his late brother Michel was facing marijuana possession charges for a "tiny amount" of pot before his death in an avalanche in 1998, and that this influenced his decision to propose legalising cannabis.

But Trudeau's office told AFP he "does not plan on purchasing or consuming cannabis once it is legalised".

In total, Statistics Canada says 5.4 million Canadians will buy cannabis from legal dispensaries in 2018 - about 15% of the population. Around 4.9 million already smoke.

Stores in St John's in the Atlantic island province of Newfoundland were due to open their doors to pot enthusiasts as of 00:01 on Wednesday.

"I'm going to have a lot more variety than the black market dealers, so you have a lot more choice at our store. The prices are very comparable," Thomas Clarke, owner of THC Distribution store, told public broadcaster CBC just prior to the big event.

Under the new regulations, Canadians at least 18 or 19 years old (soon to be 21 in Quebec) will be allowed to buy up to 30 grams of cannabis, and grow up to four plants at home.

A patchwork of private and public cannabis retail stores and online sales have been set up across the 13 provinces and territories, ramping up to 300 storefronts by year's end, the government predicts.

Sales of derivatives like edibles will be legalised next year.

To meet demand, hundreds of growers have been licensed, some taking over horticulture and floriculture greenhouses.

This new industry has attracted billions in funding, as well as interest from alcohol and soft drink makers such as Constellation Brands and Coca-Cola, respectively, which have expressed an interest in developing cannabis infused drinks.

Cannabis sales are forecast to boost economic growth by up to Can$1.1 billion and provide a Can$400 million tax revenue windfall for the government, according to Statistics Canada.

Public health officials contend that smoking cannabis is as harmful as tobacco, but welcome what they call the opportunity that legalisation affords for open dialogue.

Some doctors, however, remain wary. Diane Kelsall, editor in chief of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, called legalisation "a national, uncontrolled experiment in which the profits of cannabis producers and tax revenues are squarely pitched against the health of Canadians".

Police, meanwhile, are scrambling to prepare for a predicted uptick in drug-impaired driving.

It's unclear as yet if the new framework will succeed in undercutting the black market, as prices for illicit pot have plunged in the last year to an average of Can$6.79 per gram, and most sellers had planned to charge more.

Bill Blair, a former police chief in Toronto who is Trudeau's pointman for pot legalisation, remains optimistic.

"For almost a century, criminal enterprises had complete control of this market, 100% of its production and distribution and they profited in the billions of dollars each year. I suspect they're not going to go gently into the night," he told AFP.

"But the fact that some individuals want to cling to a prohibition model that has led to the highest rates of cannabis use of any country in the world is a little shocking to me," he said.

According to a recent Abacus Data poll published on Monday, 70% of Canadians accept or support legalisation.
Canada becomes the first G20 nation to fully legalise cannabis.