The Cannabis Act
Here's What You Need to Know
The Cannabis Act is designed to better protect the health and safety of Canadians, to keep cannabis out of the hands of youth and to keep profits out of the hands of criminals and organized crime.
- To buy, possess or use cannabis, you must be of legal age (18 or 19 or older depending on your province or territory).
- The Cannabis Act includes strict penalties for selling or providing cannabis to youth under the legal age.
- Legal cannabis has an excise stamp appearing in different colours for each province and territory on product labels.
- If you use cannabis, learn how to use it responsibly. Know the health effects. Like alcohol and tobacco, cannabis has risks, especially for youth and young adults.
- Don't drive high or work impaired. Cannabis can impair your ability to operate vehicles or equipment safely. Driving while impaired by cannabis or any other drug is a serious criminal offence.
- If you possess cannabis, store it away from children, youth and pets.
- It's illegal to take cannabis across the Canadian border, whether you're leaving or coming to Canada. This applies to all countries, whether cannabis is legal there or not.
- Under the Cannabis Act, access to cannabis for medical purposes will continue to be provided to those who are authorized by their healthcare practitioner.
To learn more about the Cannabis Act, in effect as of October 17, 2018, and the health effects of cannabis, visit: www.Canada.ca/Cannabis or call 1 800 O-Canada.
