Legal Weed Wednesday: What You Need To Know

Buying, growing, possessing, consuming as of October 17

What Is Legal

  • possess up to 30 grams of legal cannabis, dried or equivalent in non-dried form in public
  • share up to 30 grams of legal cannabis with other adults
  • buy dried or fresh cannabis and cannabis oil from a provincially-licensed retailer
  • in provinces and territories without a regulated retail framework, individuals would be able to purchase cannabis online from federally-licensed producers
  • grow, from licensed seed or seedlings, up to 4 cannabis plants per residence for personal use
  • make cannabis products, such as food and drinks, at home as long as organic solvents are not used to create concentrated products

Purchasing

People 19 and over will be able to purchase cannabis online through the Ontario Cannabis Store. Online orders will be delivered safely and securely. Consumers will be required to verify their age to accept delivery and no packages will be left unattended at the door.

Related: The sticky situation legal weed has put Ontario’s Realtors in

You will be able to purchase up to 30 grams (about one ounce) of dried recreational cannabis at one time for personal use.

Possession Limits

You will be able to have a maximum of 30 grams (about one ounce) of dried cannabis in public in Ontario at any time.

Age Restrictions

You will need to be 19 and older to buy, use, possess and grow recreational cannabis in Ontario. This is the same as the minimum age for the sale of tobacco and alcohol.
The Act creates 2 new criminal offences, with maximum penalties of 14 years in jail, for:

  • giving or selling cannabis to youth
  • using a youth to commit a cannabis-related offence

Where You Can Smoke It 

  • Private residences – this does not include residences that are also workplaces (e.g. long-term care and/or retirement homes)
  • Many outdoor public places (e.g. sidewalks, parks)
  • Designated guest rooms in hotels, motels and inns
  • Residential vehicles and boats that meet certain criteria (e.g. have permanent sleeping accommodations and cooking facilities, and are parked or anchored)
  • Scientific research and testing facilities (if the cannabis use is for scientific research and testing purposes)
  • Controlled areas in:
    – long-term care homes
    – certain retirement homes
    – residential hospices
    – provincially-funded supportive housing
    – designated psychiatric facilities or veterans’ facilities

Additional restrictions on smoking and vaping may exist in municipal bylaws, lease agreements, and the policies of employers and property owners.

Where You Cannot Smoke It

Indoors
You would not be able to smoke or vape cannabis in:

  • indoor common areas in condos, apartment buildings and university/college residences
  • enclosed public places and enclosed workplaces
  • non-designated guest rooms in hotels, motels and inns

Schools and places where children gather
You would not be able to smoke or vape cannabis:

  • at school, on school grounds, and all public areas within 20m of these grounds
  • on children’s playgrounds and public areas within 20m of playgrounds
  • in child care centres, or where an early years program is provided
  • in places where home child care is provided – even if children aren’t present
  • Hospitals, hospices, care homes and other facilities

You would not be able to smoke or vape cannabis:

  • within 9m from the entrance or exit of hospitals (public/private), psychiatric facilities, long-term care homes, independent health facilities
  • on outdoor grounds of hospitals (public/private) and psychiatric facilities
  • in non-controlled areas in long-term care homes, certain retirement homes, provincially-funded supportive housing, designated psychiatric or veterans’ facilities, and residential hospices
  • Publicly owned spaces
  • You would not be able to smoke or vape cannabis in publicly-owned sports fields (not including golf courses), nearby spectator areas and public areas within 20m of these areas.

Vehicles and boats
You would not be able to consume cannabis (smoking, vaping, eating) in a vehicle or boat that is being driven or is at risk of being put into motion.

Other outdoor areas
You would not be able to smoke or vape cannabis:

  • in restaurants and on bar patios and public areas within 9m of a patio
  • on outdoor grounds of specified Ontario government office buildings
  • in reserved seating areas at outdoor sports and entertainment locations
  • grounds of community recreational facilities, and public areas within 20m of those grounds
  • in sheltered outdoor areas with a roof and more than two walls which the public or employees frequent, or are invited to (e.g. a bus shelter)

Growing Your Own

The Cannabis Act will permit adults to cultivate up to 4 cannabis plants per household (not per person). Provinces and territories have the flexibility to apply added restrictions on personal cultivation. There are recommended safety and security measures for growing plants that should be considered, such as safe storage and proper ventilation.

Workplace

Employers are required to do what they can to accommodate medical marijuana users as well as those addicted to pot but that doesn’t give employees the right to show up at work stoned. The Ontario Human Rights Commission says employers can expect workers to be sober at work, particularly in safety-sensitive jobs. Employers must allow workers who smoke or vape cannabis for medical purposes related to a disability to take breaks so they can go outside where smoking is allowed. Employees can also use edible cannabis for medicinal purposes at work but must be able to do their jobs properly.

Georgian College

The college has banned the consumption of cannabis on campus. “It’s our responsibility to provide a healthy environment for our students to be able to learn and our employees to be able to work here.” After May 2019, cigarette smoking will also be banned on campus.

Parks Canada

Marijuana can be consumed at its campsites. “While Parks Canada campgrounds are public areas, the agency treats individual campsites as temporary domiciles for our visitors. For this reason, at Parks Canada campgrounds, consumption of cannabis will be permitted in campsites,”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Canadians who work in the legal cannabis industry will be free to enter the United States. Canadians can still be banned at the border for trying to enter the U.S. for reasons related to the American marijuana industry. While legal in a growing number of states, medical and recreational cannabis is still illegal under U.S. federal law.

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