After more than a year of anticipation, preparation, and community engagement efforts, recreational marijuana is now legal in Canada for adults over 18.
Municipalities have been preparing for this day for some time, with each laying out their own rules for where cannabis can be sold or consumed.
To be safe, simply treat cannabis with the same rules and courtesy as you would alcohol or tobacco: you can’t drive and smoke, nor have it in your vehicle within reach of anyone. You can’t consume it in most public spaces, especially if children can be present in the area. It’s not available for purchase by anyone under 18 (19 in some places). And you can only purchase recreational cannabis from properly licences stores, or from government websites.
In order to avoid running afoul on consumption rules, make sure you are familiar with the laws of whatever municipalities you are in, as it can vary greatly depending on what part of the country you are currently in. Private consumption on your own private property is allowed, so if you are unsure, stick with that.
You could also call your local peace officer to find out the rules. Many police agencies plan on using the first few weeks or months of legalization as a way to educate the public about the news rules, but soon enough they will be enforced with warnings and fines, so better to get familiar with the rules to avoid any issue.
Here is a list of some of the stories we’ve covered in the past year regarding this historic day, lifting prohibition on cannabis that has been in effect for about 90 years.
Also included are links to other municipalities websites detailing their rules, and a link to the government of Alberta’s cannabis purchase site, and a link to the government of Canada’s Cannabis in Canadas fact sheet.
City of Lacombe cannabis/ smoking bylaw
City of Lacombe cannabis retail
City of Red Deer cannabis rules
Government of Alberta cannabis rules, regulations, and online purchase.
Wed, Apr 24, 10:00 AM
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