Hey folks! Cannabis has been legal in Canada now for a few years, so we thought this would be as good a time as any to put our finger on the pulse of cannabis legislation and get a feel for where we are and where we might be going. So here are four facts about the current state of cannabis law in our snowy corner of the world.
1.Possession
When purchasing or carrying around cannabis, the magic number we all want to remember (at least for the time being) is 30. You can purchase and carry up to 30 grams of dried cannabis at one time. This extends to products that have used dried cannabis in their production like beverages or vape carts. If someone is carrying an amount of cannabis that is above that limit, it can carry fines and up to 5 years of jail time. Also, the cannabis has to be purchased through a licensed cannabis retailer, otherwise it is still considered illicit material and you would be subject to fines for small amounts or jail time for larger amounts. Also, if there is intention to sell cannabis you can face up to 14 years in prison…. Which is excessive. Best rule of thumb is to leave the selling to the licensed retailers and exercise restraint when it comes to how much you have on your person at any given time.
2.Travelling with Cannabis
So, you want to travel to the US of A but don’t want to leave your amazing Canadian weed at home. Sadly, the potential jail time that you face for bringing cannabis into the United States is exorbitant and not remotely worth it. Unfortunately, our neighbors to the south have a very long history of zero tolerance when it comes to cannabis culture. For example, if you have an illicit cannabis charge on your record in Canada, even if you’ve successfully filed for it to be expunged from your official record, they can and will still deny you entry into the USA. “But Brynn!” you shout, “How can they do that if the records have been expunged!”. Suffice to say, there will always be a record of everything you’ve done, for good or ill. That information is always going to exist in some capacity. For their own reasons, the United States have adopted the stance that they cannot risk the danger of letting a Canuck stoner cross into their country. To my knowledge they’re at present one of it not the only country that has decided to adopt this stance. So, if you have an old cannabis charge that has been expunged and want to go to say, Spain? Go nuts!
3. Consuming
With it being legal to consume cannabis in public, most people have adopted the assumption that they can light up a joint pretty much anywhere that isn’t private property, and that is largely true. One must make sure that if they are consuming cannabis in vape or smoke format, that they are not near any kids. Specifically, one must be at least 20 meters away from any place where children gather ie. Schools, playgrounds, early childcare centers. There is also a law that states that one must be more than 9 meters from any restaurant or business entrance when consuming. In essence, best rule of thumb is to apply the same laws that exist for smoking tobacco to smoking a doobie or vaping. So, if you’re taking a walk through the ‘burbs while walking your dog and want to light up a joint, go right ahead!
4. Selling
The sale of cannabis is where the majority of laws and restrictions have been applied. The benefits of purchasing regulated cannabis from a licensed retailer is not only a good idea from a legal perspective but also a health one, since all of the cannabis is required to pass quality tests that ensure that what you’re consuming is free of pesticides and other harmful elements. Meanwhile, illicit cannabis carries with it the risk of health issues caused by pesticide use and growing practices that lack any oversight. Due to these health factors in conjunction with other factors, the government has adopted a fairly hardline approach to the sale of illicit cannabis. It carries a jail sentence of up to 14 years, which is again, very excessive but is intended to make the prospect of selling illicit materials unattractive. In essence, if you’ve got some extra weed from your home grow, don’t try to sell it. It can be shared with friends or better put to use to make edibles or extracts.
Those are the 4 facts regarding the current state of cannabis law in Canada. These laws are undergoing chronic re-evaluation and as such will grow and develop alongside the industry to hopefully keep providing us safe and accessible means of consuming cannabis.
