How to Buy Weed in Canada When It’s Legal
Canada has just become the second country in the world to federalize recreational cannabis . Implementing a national cannabis system in a huge country with separate provincial governments is, at best, a complex, high-stakes high-risk project, and as a result, its rollout has proven to be as difficult as you’d expect.
First, the basics: As of today, October 17, 2018, adults in Canada can buy dried cannabis leaves, oils, and pre-twisted joints from government-licensed retailers and grow their own houseplants. But the important details of the actual purchase and use of marijuana in Canada – such as the legal age for purchase, maximum holdings, retail outlets, and public consumption laws – vary greatly from province to province. If you’re planning a trip to or from Canada, here’s what you should know about the new laws.
For travelers entering Canada
Legalizing cannabis is likely to be a big tourist attraction, especially for Americans, but our northern neighbor is not going to be an unlimited cigarette buffet. Quite frankly, it is impossible to accurately describe the rat nest of provincial weed laws in a sentence or two; watch this video from Canada’s Global News for a solid guide.
The only constant between provinces is which cannabis products you can actually eat. Currently, these are fresh or dried cannabis leaves, oils , pre-rolled joints, and houseplants. ( Recreational edibles are excluded pending further legislation, but will still be available through licensed medical marijuana providers.) Virtually everything else is regulated by provincial and municipal governments, including the following key elements:
- Who Can Buy Weed: Adults over 18 in Alberta, but any other province has decided to raise the age to 19, and Quebec could raise it to 21.
- Storage limits: Federal law allows adults to hold up to 30 grams of dried cannabis or its equivalent (and up to four houseplants), but provinces have the right to reduce the maximum values.
- Retail availability: Online and in stores, although this also varies by location; Sales in Ontario and Nunavut are only available online for now, but other provinces will also have government-licensed physical showcases.
- Government Consumption Laws: This is by far the biggest problem for travelers. Restrictions, laws and possible penalties vary greatly from province to province.
- Disabled Driving Laws : The Canadian government has some literature on the subject , but enforcing drug screening rules on the roads ultimately depends on provincial or municipality law enforcement.
The bottom line for people traveling to or within Canada is to know the laws of the provinces and cities you are visiting. Each Canadian province has a website dedicated to their own cannabis laws and regulations, as well as store listings, so search for them and plan accordingly. Yes, and leave legally purchased American or Uruguayan weed at home: transporting weed to Canada is still a crime , even if it is used for medical purposes .
For travelers leaving Canada
The border crossing will become a little more difficult for Canadians traveling overseas, especially those looking to enter the United States. Transporting marijuana across international borders is obviously illegal, but you don’t even need to have it with you to get into trouble at the border. Canadians who work in the fast-growing legal cannabis industry at home or in the States, or even anyone who admits to having smoked weed in the past, may be denied at the border. According to the official travel advice of the Government of Canada , “Previous use of cannabis or any substance prohibited by US federal laws may mean that you have been denied entry to the United States. Canadians traveling for reasons related to the cannabis industry may be considered unacceptable. ”
A statement from US Customs and Border Patrol on this issue provides more details:
“Generally, any foreigner who arrives who is identified as a drug addict or drug addict, or who is found guilty of committing or confessing to have committed acts that constitute material elements of a violation (or an attempt or conspiracy to violate) any law or regulation of a state, the United States or another country controlled substance are unacceptable in the United States.
A Canadian citizen working or promoting the legal marijuana industry in Canada who comes to the United States for reasons other than the marijuana industry will usually be admitted to the United States, however, if the traveler is found to be traveling to the United States for reasons related to the marijuana industry, they may considered unacceptable. “
So how can Canadians get around this? The good news is that people traveling for pleasure or non-marijuana business should be fine as long as they don’t try to impress the customs agent by bragging about how much weed they smoked last night. But people in the cannabis industry who travel to the United States for work may have to choose between lying to customs agents or a potential lifetime travel ban in the United States — none of which are attractive. Ultimately, each agent decides what questions to ask and what action to take. Maybe you can find an agent who really wants to act stupid in Canada, where he belongs; maybe you’ll find someone who just wants to finish their shift so they can go home and smoke a basin. Either way, be honest – but don’t try to expose yourself in front of your feed either.
Finally, it’s worth emphasizing that states in the United States where marijuana is legal are not exempt from border regulations. Remember: US Customs and Border Patrol agents are subordinate to the federal government, which still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I substance. Federal law prevails. Again, the most important thing to remember is that transporting marijuana across international borders remains highly illegal , even if you are transporting Canadian weed to a 420-friendly border state (Washington, Vermont, Maine, or Alaska, for those who monitors the house at home). ). So don’t do it.
For everyone else
Federal legalization of cannabis will affect more than just Canadian law. Even if you don’t plan to travel to Canada anytime soon, there will be many legal precedents set in the coming months and years, and there are more questions than answers when it comes to social issues. With legalized recreational use, will Canada follow California’s lead by overturning marijuana convictions that disproportionately affect blacks and indigenous people? Will the federal government hand over power to indigenous wildlife sanctuary leaders when it comes to enacting and enforcing weed-related laws as loudly requested ? Will it ever be allowed for people with a passion for marijuana to participate in the legal cannabis industry, or will the current jumble of alcohol and tobacco executives, politicians, and literally police officers remain largely the same? How exactly will the significant tax revenue from cannabis be allocated to the provincial governments? It is perhaps significant that the federal government has yet to publicly answer any of these huge questions.
Regardless of your take on cannabis, rolling out the largest government-sanctioned cannabis program in modern history is undoubtedly a milestone. Canadians know the world is watching them – it remains to be seen if other countries will follow suit.