Legalization of Marijuana in Canada

Legalization of Marijuana in Canada
On 17th October 2018, Canada became the second country in the world to legalize recreational marijuana after Uruguay. Since 1983, the growing and consumption of cannabis remained illegal and would take 80 more years before it was legalized but solely for medicinal purposes in the year 2001. For decades, recreational marijuana operated in the shadows, heavily criticized, and a leading cause of criminal prosecutions. Today, the perception has changed, and cannabis is a million-dollar industry that continues to grow each year. More countries have also followed suit by legalizing the use of medicinal marijuana, and a dozen others decriminalizing it.
The House of Commons initially passed the Cannabis Act, Bill C-45 in March of 2018, which successfully went through the second reading in the Senate, and finally, the house passed the bill on 18th June 2018. The bill went through various amendments, and on 17th October 2018, the newest and final version of the bill was accepted and passed, and marijuana become federally legal in the country. Long queues of customers formed outside the nation’s first marijuana dispensaries waiting to be served.
However, the federal government left it upon individual provinces and cities to set up their own regulations and guidelines regarding issues such as who can purchase and consume, where it should be sold and consumed, among other issues that could result from the legalization. For instance, in most provinces across Canada, the purchase and consumption of marijuana is legal for adults above the age of 19. However, this differs in Alberta, where the legal age is 18 and in Quebec, where the legal age was recently raised to 21 years.
In all the states, the maximum amount that one is allowed to possess is 30 grams, but, in most locations, one is allowed to have more than 30 grams at home. For instance, in British Columbia, the maximum amount of marijuana that one can possess at home is 1000 grams, while the limit is not set in Manitoba. However, bringing marijuana across the borders is not permitted. This applies even when you are going to a state where marijuana is legal. If caught, you can be legally prosecuted and most likely receive a hefty fine. But the rule of 30 grams applies if you are not flying out of the Canadian airspace.
Where to purchase marijuana
Anyone above the legal age limit can purchase marijuana in both officially certified private retail stores and government online sales. The Canadian government has also limited the number of plants per household to four, while in some provinces like Quebec and Manitoba, it is illegal to grow marijuana at home.