On October 17, 2023, it will have been five years since cannabis was legalized for non-medical use, production and sale in Canada, making Canada the first major industrialized country to provide legal and regulated access to cannabis for non-medical purposes.
Details of The Cannabis Act
- The Cannabis Act (C-45) came into force on October 17, 2018. The Act legalizes and strictly regulates the production, distribution, sale, import and export, and possession of cannabis for adults of legal age.
- During the first year of legalization of cannabis for non-medical purposes, legal sales were limited to dried cannabis, fresh cannabis, cannabis oil, cannabis plants and cannabis seeds. Starting on October 17, 2019, a wider array of products was permitted for legal production and sale, including cannabis extracts, edibles and topicals.
- The regulation of cannabis remains a shared responsibility of the federal, provincial and territorial governments. Provinces and territories are responsible for regulating cannabis sales and distribution in their jurisdiction. They also have the flexibility to establish more stringent controls, such as further restrictions for personal (home) cultivation, restricting public use and access to some