As of October 17, 2018, recreational marijuana has become legal in Canada. Canada is only the second country in the world to hop on the bandwagon, after Uruguay. This date marks the opening of the first marijuana dispensaries in the country and a remarkable day for many Canadians!

Although, this historic day does not come without rules. First and foremost, only adults will be allowed to buy, use, possess, and grow recreational marijuana. The legal age is 18 in the cities of Quebec and Alberta and 19 in the remainder of the country. Most importantly, it can NOT be transported in or out of Canada, even if you are going to another location where the drug has been legalized.

Even more so, marijuana is not that easy to find in stores. The “devil’s lettuce” will not be sold in the same locations as tobacco or alcohol and consumers can only purchase the substance from licensed producers and retailers.

This is great news for those who have been convicted of possession of marijuana. In this scenario, one may be wondering what will happen to these individuals. Consequently, authorities will soon announce plans to pardon those Canadians who have been convicted with less than 30 grams of marijuana. However, the charges will not be dropped for minors, for it is still deemed illegal.

Why legalize marijuana? There are several arguments in support of and against this policy, but there is no denying the fact that legal cannabis creates an industry worth more than $4 billion in Canada alone! At this rate, it is only a matter of time before more countries jump on the bandwagon of legalizing marijuana. Who will be next?