Cannabis in Ontario

Seal designating an authorized recreational cannabis retailer in Ontario
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Cannabis in Ontario is legal for both medical and recreational purposes. Cannabis in Canada has been legal for medicinal purposes since 2001 under conditions outlined in the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations,[1] issued by Health Canada, while seed, grain, and fibre production are permitted under licence.[2] The federal Cannabis Act, legalizing cannabis for recreational use, came into effect on 17 October 2018.[3][4]

The Cannabis Act tasks each province and territory to set its own laws for various aspects regarding recreational use cannabis, such as the legal age, whether householders can grow cannabis and the method of retail sales. The latter aspect varies as to ownership of retail outlets (by the provincial government or private enterprise) but all provinces and territories include an option for on-line sales.[5][6]

In 2019, the Ontario government initially issued 25 retail licenses for brick-and-mortar stores to sell recreational cannabis; the selection was based on strict criteria and a lottery system. An additional 50 licenses were subsequently issued. By April 2020, the government planned to eliminate the lottery system and to begin issuing roughly 20 new permits per month to increase availability as part of the plan to combat sales by black market dealers.[7][8] Retail on-line sales of recreational cannabis remained in the hands of the Ontario Cannabis Store, operated by the provincial government.[9]

  1. ^ "Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations". laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Industrial Hemp Regulation Program FAQ". Health Canada. November 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  3. ^ Scott, Monique (20 June 2018). "Marijuana to be legal in Canada starting October 17, Trudeau confirms". Global News.
  4. ^ "The Cannabis Act: The Facts". Health Canada. Government of Canada. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  5. ^ "Marijuana is legal everywhere across Canada now". Inside Halton. Metroland News. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  6. ^ "Cannabis is legal in Canada — here's what you need to know". CBC News. CBC. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  7. ^ Ontario will scrap lottery system, move to expand retail cannabis market in 2020
  8. ^ Ontario removing cap on number of pot shops, opening up market for retailers
  9. ^ Welcome to OCS