Recreational marijuana officially legal across Canada
Posted October 17, 2018 12:00 am.
Last Updated October 17, 2018 5:04 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
CANADA (NEWS 1130) – Almost one year after the Cannabis Act was passed by the House of Commons, recreational marijuana is now legal in Canada.
As of Oct. 17, people 18 or older, depending on the province, are allowed to possess up to 30 grams of dried legal cannabis and grow up to four plants for personal use.
RELATED: Marijuana legalization: What’s happening around town
Law enforcement will vary across the country, Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer has noted in the past that issues related to public consumption will likely be addressed by local by-law officers.
As for driving while high, despite having a federally-approved test, many police municipalities across the Lower Mainland have said they won’t be using the controversial Drager DrugTest 5000.
WATCH: 1st B.C. Cannabis Store Opens Wednesday In Kamloops
Palmer said more than 13,000 officers in Canada are trained at recognizing impaired drivers, noting an additional 7,000 are yet to be trained in the next couple of years.
He also said there will be more than 800 drug screening experts with close to 500 more expected.
Each province will be responsible for its own rules and regulations regarding distributions, enforcement, and consumption.
RELATED: Everything you need to know about cannabis legalization
B.C. has only one government-run store located in Kamloops. The store received the official go-ahead from the city just a day before legalization.
Councillors took less than 10 seconds to unanimously approve the business license.
With legalization, the Trudeau Liberal government is expected to announce an easier process to obtain a criminal pardon for simple possession. Until now, possession had been punishable by a fine and up to six months in jail.
WATCH: Pot At The Airport
– With files form Monika Gul, Justin Slimm, and The Canadian Press
