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posted by martyb on Thursday October 18 2018, @03:44AM   Printer-friendly
from the hi dept.

Recreational cannabis is now legal in Canada... to a point. Here are some ground rules:

Adults of at least 18 years old will be allowed to carry and share up to 30 grams of legal marijuana in public, according to a bill that passed the Senate in June. They will also be allowed to cultivate up to four plants in their households and make products such as edibles for personal use.

[...] The supply of recreational marijuana could be limited, at least early on, in some stores. Officials in Nova Scotia and Manitoba said they won't have a large selection, at least not on the first day, CNN affiliate CBC News reported. [...] Marijuana will not be sold in the same location as alcohol or tobacco. Consumers are expected to purchase the drug from retailers regulated by provinces and territories or from federally licensed producers when those options are not available.

[...] Authorities will soon announce plans to pardon Canadians who have been convicted with possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana, CNN partner CTV reported. The production, distribution or sale of cannabis products will still be an offense for minors.

Headline roundup:

Uruguay was the first country in the world to legalize cannabis.

Previously: First Country to Legalize Marijuana Votes Against Anti-Weed Presidential Candidate
Canadian Man Pledges to Give Away 1 Million Cannabis Seeds, Authorities Not Impressed
4/20: The Third Time's Not the Charm
4/20: The Mary Jane Majority
Canada Becomes the Second Nation to Legalize Cannabis
Peter Thiel's Cannabis Company Was Briefly Worth More Than Twitter
Hostage to NAFTA? Canada Signs on to War on Drugs Despite Recent Cannabis Legalization


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  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by VLM on Thursday October 18 2018, @01:48PM (11 children)

    by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Thursday October 18 2018, @01:48PM (#750433)

    Adults of at least 18 years old

    Google confirmed my fuzzy memory that some Canadians can't drink until 19, so that seems weird.

    Nanos survey: Nearly 8 in 10 Canadians uninterested in smoking cannabis once legal

    You can't (legally) visit the US anymore if you're a documented smoker, but its more interesting to me that intoxicants follow a ridiculous power law where google indicates something like 60% of the population hasn't drunk alcohol in the last 12 months, but folks in the long tail consume a lot to keep the averages up. I believe legacy TV viewership and facebook usage follow similar intoxication curves.

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  • (Score: 1) by Blymie on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:10PM (2 children)

    by Blymie (4020) on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:10PM (#750447)

    There are two laws. Federal law, and Provincial.

    In some cases, in Canada -- one has full jurisdiction, and in others... the other.

    For alcohol, it isn't 19. It's "19 for whatever province decides that".

    In this case, Federal law is stipulating the minimum age. Provinces can, and many havel mandated different ages for pot. Quebec, I hear tell it's 21 for example.

    FYI, there is no law against visiting the US if you are a documented smoker. You can be denied entry arbitrarily based upon that fact, and there after need a request a VISA to get back in. That's not the same thing, for the VISA process has additional background checks.. and isn't realistically unreasonable. EG, the idea of "I don't trust the guy, I want more checks before he can get into the country I am trying to protect".

    Whether the "he smoked pot!" argument makes sense, doesn't matter. It isn't my country (the US), who am to complain if they have weird, non-harmful laws.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:35PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:35PM (#750461)

      In this case, Federal law is stipulating the minimum age. Provinces can, and many havel mandated different ages for pot. Quebec, I hear tell it's 21 for example.

      The legal drinking age in Québec is 18. This is good for bars in Gatineau, because across the river in Ottawa, Ontario the legal age is 19.

      Currently the legal age for cannabis in Quebec is also 18, set by the previous government, but there was a change of government a few weeks ago and they've indicated that they plan to change the age for cannabis to 21. This will be good for the legal cannabis vendors in Ottawa, when they exist.

    • (Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:48PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:48PM (#750467)

      FYI, there is no law against visiting the US if you are a documented smoker. You can be denied entry arbitrarily based upon that fact, and there after need a request a VISA to get back in. That's not the same thing, for the VISA process has additional background checks.. and isn't realistically unreasonable.

      If you are deemed inadmissible, then you do not need a visa, you need an admissibility waiver. This is very different. In particular, it costs US$930 just to submit the application (which may or may not be granted), and if granted, the waiver expires after one year at which point you need to go thorugh the whole process all over again.

      Due to the very close trade relations between Canada and the United States, being inadmissible to the United States can potentially be very problematic for a person's career in Canada. That's why it's a big deal if Canadians are being denied entry for things that are not illegal in Canada.

  • (Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:23PM (4 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:23PM (#750455)

    Does this mean Canada will have to build "The Wall" to keep illegals from the south out?

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by DeathMonkey on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:27PM (3 children)

      by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:27PM (#750544) Journal

      Does this mean Canada will have to build "The Wall" to keep illegals from the south out?

      Seems easier to just legalize it everywhere down here. Vote Democrat in 2018 if you want that to happen

      Schumer introduces bill to federally decriminalize marijuana [cnn.com]

      • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:38PM

        by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:38PM (#750554) Journal

        More propaganda? Thanks Mokey!

      • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @11:09PM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @11:09PM (#750699)

        Vote Democrat in 2018 if you want that to happen

        Liar. Check here instead [norml.org]. On my ballot, every Democrat except one is in favor of prohibition.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 19 2018, @02:46AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 19 2018, @02:46AM (#750771)

          Yup. I looked up mine. One lukewarm Democrat who has never explicitly endorsed legalization, but one Green Party candidate does support it but will surely lose. The rest just say "Know this candidate's position on marijuana? Tell us!" except for one anti-reefer Republican.

  • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:37PM (2 children)

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:37PM (#750553) Journal

    Documented smokers? WTF documents this stuff? And, WTF is admitting to the document makers that they smoke? I won't admit to any government creature that I even breathe, let alone doing something of questionable legal legitimacy.

    • (Score: 2) by http on Thursday October 18 2018, @08:45PM

      by http (1920) on Thursday October 18 2018, @08:45PM (#750647)

      All it takes is one person you know posting a picture of you having a pinner for dinner, and the CBP people have you bent over a barrel. Lying to customs officers is about as wise as snacking on strychnine.

      --
      I browse at -1 when I have mod points. It's unsettling.
    • (Score: 3, Interesting) by dry on Saturday October 20 2018, @03:11PM

      by dry (223) on Saturday October 20 2018, @03:11PM (#751407) Journal

      The lawyers up here are advising to just to refuse to answer. You get refused entry that day and can try another day. The problem is people who think because it is legal, it is OK to admit it. If you lie and get caught out, that is also a reason for a permanent ban. Been lots of warnings about taking it south as well.