# data[].attributes.headline
Packaging Problems - Cannabis Life Network Blog Post

# data[].attributes.subject
Packaging Problems - Cannabis Life Network Blog Post

# data[].attributes.body
This short blog post introduces the issue with packaging. The writer states that for one gram of cannabis, you're receiving approximately one pound of packaging - this is an exaggeration but conveys the point he is trying to make. This blog post jokes at how the marijuana market has kept Glad Sandwich Bags in business for as long as they have been and that's all we really need to transport marijuana to begin with.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you ask some folks in Canada how they feel about cannabis packaging, they'll tell you they think it's excessive. They wouldn't be wrong either. Imagine if you will, buying a gram of bud that you've never tried. You place your order and wait to receive it via Canada Post. Keep in mind that in Canada there are strict guidelines to adhere to for cannabis businesses regarding packaging and labelling.

When your weed finally arrives, you find yourself opening the package, only to keep opening packages. First, it comes in an envelope, next you have to get the package inside the envelopes out. Now you have to open that package to get to the box in it that has your bud. When you get to that box you find it shrink-wrapped in plastic. After you remove the plastic and open the box you often find yet another plastic container in which you finally get to your bud.

That sounds like a lot of excess packaging, doesn't it? That's because it is. Buds, edibles, topicals, you name it and they all seem to have issues with excessive packaging. The cannabis black market helped Glad Sandwich Bags grow to the mega-giant corporation they are today. That's it, all we needed was a sandwich bag. If we didn't have one, it was a cigarette cellophane. Canada isn't alone when it comes to overkill on selling the nugs we love.

America Has Packaging Problems Too

Canada isn't alone when it comes to excessive packaging. America is the land of plastic bottles and foil bags. In the U.S. the only thing that might save them from being as bad at Canada with cannabis packaging is that you can order weed using the U.S. Postal Service, yet. As broke as this defunct service is, this could be what saves it.

Regardless, you still get a plastic bottle or bag with your weed then placed into either a paper bag or childproof smell proof foil bag. Ancillary services that cater to packaging and labelling are doing good it would seem thanks to cannabis legalization. Sadly, there are very few programs in place to recycle these plastic containers.

Also, you can't reuse them. They are one and done. The bottles often contain stickers. Just one more thing to tack on to that excessive packaging. Did I mention that there are foil childproof bags too? It just gets to be a bit much for some weed. Beer comes in a can or bottle, cigarettes in a box or tin, and chocolate in a wrapper. Cannabis is safer than any of these so why the overkill when it comes to selling and distribution?

The easy answer to that question is, it's because of regulations.

Enough Plastic Bottles and Foil Bags to Build an Earthship

Maybe we need to unite as a culture and bring the community together with a universal project. We could all start saving and distributing this abundance of packaging to help others build eco-friendly Earthships. Just think of all the wicked cool homes that could be built!

Maybe if we started building villages for the homeless and homes for families with all the excess containers and bags, it wouldn't be so bad. Regardless of what we do or could do with this excess packaging, something must be done.

What do you think would be a solution to preventing excessive packaging? Can we use it to do good with if they insist on overkill? Chime in, in the comments below, and tell us what you think about how cannabis is packaged and sold.

Article courtesy of Expert Joints. Written by JamesP from CannaLance ( Canna-Lance.com, @CannaLance, @CannaLancer710)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pot Packaging Problems - Cannabis Life Network

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you ask some folks in Canada how they feel about cannabis packaging, they'll tell you they think it's excessive. They wouldn't be wrong either. Imagine if you will, buying a gram of bud that you've never tried. You place your order and wait to receive it via Canada Post.

# data[].attributes.headline
Driving Laws Haven't Changed - Vancouver Sun News Article

# data[].attributes.subject
Driving Laws Haven't Changed - Vancouver Sun News Article

# data[].attributes.body
Since legalizing recreational cannabis, Vancouver police have issued 18 traffic tickets relating to cannabis use. The worst offence to date is anything involving consuming cannabis while driving - police compare this to the equivalent of driving while drinking alcohol. BC police has said that laws aren't changing and we aren't being any stricter, there is just more to be vigilant for.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Following the legalization of recreational pot, B.C. police have been more concerned with traffic than trafficking.

The new B.C. Cannabis Control and Licensing Act bans smoking or vaping in places where tobacco is prohibited, in places frequently used by children such as parks and on school properties and in vehicles. The government has set a limit for possession in a public place at 30 grams.

Vancouver police have issued 18 traffic tickets for cannabis offences since Oct. 17, including six that involved impairment and which led to four 24-hour driving suspensions, spokeswoman Simi Heer said in an email.

During that time, they issued four non-traffic pot tickets, including two for smoking or vaping in an outdoor public place, one for possession of more than 30 grams in public and one for public intoxication. In one case, charges were recommended under the federal Cannabis Act as well as the Criminal Code.

"Our public safety and enforcement priorities have not changed since the legalization of cannabis," Heer said. "On the investigative side, we are continuing to focus our efforts on the fentanyl crisis and targeting high level manufacturers and distributors."

Neil Boyd, a criminology professor at Simon Fraser University, said he expected pot-related traffic offences, not possession, to remain a priority for police.

"I don't think police want to make determinations about the distinction between licit and illicit cannabis," Boyd said, referring to the requirement that recreational pot only be bought through the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch.

"What I do expect to see are administrative highway-traffic penalties for people who are consuming in their cars. We've already seen that and I have no problem with that, I think it makes good sense. If you're smoking and driving, you may not be charged criminally but you're going to be charged a hefty fine."

Police outside of Vancouver have dealt out at least a handful of penalties since Oct. 17.

On Tuesday, a Calgary man was stopped by West Vancouver police at a roadblock and given a $230 ticket for having an unlit pipe containing bud inside his Jeep.

Last month, Oak Bay police gave a teen a ticket after he was caught rolling a joint in a parked vehicle, just over a week after Saanich police gave a ticket to a passenger smoking a joint inside a vehicle.

The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General said in an email that it can't yet provide numbers for pot offences since legalization.

"Prohibition data typically requires a few months to settle before an accurate reflection on prohibition volumes can be reported," the ministry said. "The same applies for any other cannabis-related ticket offences."

B.C. RCMP data on pot seizures and arrests are also not yet available, according to a spokeswoman.

"The statistics will need to be first validated at which point the information will be provided to the B.C. provincial government which is responsible for collecting and collating the statistics," Sgt. Janelle Shoihet said in an email.

Overall, cannabis offences reported last year by B.C. police dropped about 17 per cent compared to 2016, according to a September report by the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.

For the 10,114 cannabis offences reported in 2017, 2,139 people were charged (21 per cent), compared to charge rates of 45 per cent for cocaine and 38 per cent each for heroin and methamphetamine.

Nationally, police-reported rates of pot offences declined for the sixth consecutive year in 2017, down 15 per cent across all provinces and territories, according to Statistics Canada.

Vancouver's 311 phone line received four complaints related to public cannabis smoking in the two weeks leading up to legalization and 11 complaints in the two weeks afterward, according to city staff. No tickets were issued.
neagland@postmedia.com twitter.com/nickeagland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
B.C. police target drivers in early days of cannabis legalization

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Following the legalization of recreational pot, B.C. police have been more concerned with traffic than trafficking. The new B.C. Cannabis Control and Licensing Act bans smoking or vaping in places where tobacco is prohibited, in places frequently used by children such as parks and on school properties and in vehicles.

# data[].attributes.headline
First Day of Legalization in Toronto - The Globe and Mail

# data[].attributes.subject
First Day of Legalization in Toronto - The Globe and Mail

# data[].attributes.body
This video showcases multiple people attending an event at Trinity Bellwoods Park and in Kensington Market. The event being attended is to celebrate the first day of legalized recreational cannabis in Toronto. One person featured, mentions that a new generation is able to access this, stigma free.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The first day of legalized cannabis in Toronto

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
People gathered at Toronto's Trinity Bellwoods Park and in Kensington Market to celebrate the first day of legalized cannabis.

# data[].attributes.headline
Cannabis Stock Rises as More States Legalize - CBC News Article

# data[].attributes.subject
Cannabis Stock Rises as More States Legalize - CBC News Article

# data[].attributes.body
This article explores how the growth of legalizing marijuana is affecting Canada's economy. It states the growth of pot stocks, one specifically being up by 28%. As one of the most anti-cannabis U.S. Attorney Generals resigns, it is predicted that most States will get onboard with legalizing recreational marijuana. As it sits now, 33 states have legalized marijuana in some form - medical or recreational. The fear, for Canadian economy is that the U.S. will now become a major player in cannabis growth and distribution, overtaking some of the major Canadian companies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Canadian cannabis companies got a shot in the arm on Wednesday as U.S. voters in three states decided to legalize the drug, and one of its biggest political opponents stepped down.

While much of the attention from Tuesday evening's midterm election focused on the balance of power in Congress, investors were instead focusing on ballot initiatives to legalize recreational marijuana in Michigan and North Dakota, while allowing the drug for medical use in Utah and Missouri.

Both of the medical initiatives passed, as did Michigan's, but voters in North Dakota decided to reject its recreational marijuana use. But the three other states going ahead mean that 33 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia currently allow for legal marijuana use under some circumstances - either medically or recreationally.

"Marijuana has now been legalized for adult use in one out of every five states, so I think it's safe to say federal laws are in need of an update," said Matthew Schweich, deputy director of the Marijuana Policy Project advocacy group.

Investors clearly thought the same thing, as shares in Canopy Growth Corp., Aurora Cannabis Inc. and Aphria Inc. rose by eight per cent, nine per cent and four per cent, respectively. Nanaimo, B.C.-based Tilray Inc., which trades its shares on the Nasdaq exchange in New York, closed up by more than 28 per cent.

Late in the day Wednesday, all those pot stocks were pushed even higher by the resignation of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, one of the most virulently anti-cannabis politicians in the country.

"If the House flips to Democrats as is expected and Jeff Sessions resigns after the elections, that gives more psychological impetus for pro-cannabis legislation to pass," said Chris Damas, editor of investment newsletter the BCMI Report, before Sessions stepped down.

Analyst David Kideckel at Altacorp Capital, who covers cannabis companies, viewed Tuesday's election results as mildly positive for the sector as a whole.

"We see these states' push towards some form of cannabis legalization, whether recreational or medical, as one further catalyst towards U.S. policy change at a federal level, which we expect to happen over time."

The Democrats taking control of the House is also broadly supportive of marijuana over the long term, but likely not enough to lead to any firm steps on the federal level as long as the status quo persists.

"We view this as a positive catalyst for the cannabis sector," he said.

Damas says while he still thinks some of the big Canadian names listed above are overhyped, he has been advising clients to move money into some of the smaller U.S. companies with presences in multiple states

Michigan opting for recreational weed was significant because of its large population, but ballot measures in North Dakota and Missouri were less important.

Utah opting for medical weed, however, was of note simply because it shares a border with Colorado, the U.S. state where the cannabis sector is flourishing the most.

"I believe Colorado's huge cannabis growth has been in part because it has been an island surrounded by prohibitionist states," he said.

He says the Democrats taking control of the House of Representatives is a positive sign for cannabis over the long term, but he says it's not a given that legal pot in the U.S. would be a boon for Canadian companies like the ones listed above.

Instead, he thinks some of the lesser U.S. companies have the most to gain. "The U.S. players will soon have as much market capitalization as the Canadian companies or more," he said. "These are Barbarians at the cannabis gate in my view," adding that he thinks it's more likely in the long run that U.S. cannabis names will one day try to take over the big Canadian players than the opposite happening.

"Do the Canadian operators risk missing the train in U.S. federally legal cannabis the longer it is delayed?" Damas said. "I would say, yes."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cannabis stocks rise as 3 U.S. states vote to legalize pot and Jeff Sessions resigns | CBC News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Canadian cannabis companies got a shot in the arm on Wednesday as U.S. voters in three states decided to legalize the drug, and one of its biggest political opponents stepped down.

# data[].attributes.body
In this video, Eric Costen discusses why there's been a delay in legalizing edible products. He mentions how much a variety there is available to those who want to produce or consume edibles. I think the biggest issue he touched on is the correlation between Canada's Food and Drug Act, as well as the Legalization of Cannabis. When producing edibles, producers need to take into account the laws of Canada's Food and Drug Act, as well as the Legalization of Cannabis Act. Producers need to think about the complexity of legalizing edibles and concentrates.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why the delay in legalizing cannabis edibles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Eric Costen, Director General of the Strategic Policy Directorate of the Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Branch discusses the complexity of legalizing marijuana edibles and concentrates, and the delay in doing so.

# data[].attributes.headline
Advantages of Medical Marijuana Even Though the Rest is Legal - Blog Post

# data[].attributes.subject
Advantages of Medical Marijuana Even Though the Rest is Legal - Blog Post

# data[].attributes.body
This blog post talks about the 5 most obvious reasons to continue buying medical marijuana from licensed providers, rather than standard grade marijuana. Having a valid prescription means you can write off cannabis during tax season - like any other medication. There are travel exemptions for prescription holders - with cannabis from licensed provider, citizens can travel anywhere within Canada. Knowledge and accountability are two main reasons people continue to purchase their medical marijuana - licensed providers are accountable and are required to indicate all ingredients on packages - assuring that consumers are aware of what they're consuming.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
That's when the cannabis landscape in Canada changes dramatically.

The whole world will be watching when Canada officially becomes the first G7 country to legalize cannabis for recreational use.

Once it's legalized, though, what does that mean for the medical cannabis community?

A lot of people are assuming that because it's legal, you won't need to buy your medical cannabis from a licensed producer (LP) anymore.

But the reality is that there are very exclusive benefits to choosing to buy from LPs even after legalization - and here are the top 5.

Write cannabis off on your taxes

Since September 2015, Canada Revenue Agency has allowed you to claim medical cannabis on your income tax return as a medical expense.

By having a valid prescription for medical cannabis from your health care practitioner and by buying your medical cannabis from a legal, Health Canada-approved licensed producer.

Which means that even if you keep your receipts after buying cannabis from a local dispensary or other outlet, you'll be out of luck if you try to claim those purchases on your income tax return.

To claim medical cannabis on your next tax return, all you need is your receipts from your licensed producer, which are usually available to print any time in your online patient portal.

Then, you add up the total amount spent on cannabis from these receipts and add it to the other medical expenses you claim, such as prescriptions and dental.

Receive a travel exemption

When you're packing for an upcoming trip, you usually don't think twice about tossing your prescription medications in your suitcase or carry-on.

After all, these meds are often essential to your quality of life, whether they're antihistamines or blood thinners.

The same goes for medical cannabis.

But given the stigma around marijuana, it can present challenges when travelling.

The good news is that if you're flying with medical cannabis in Canada , you're able to do so legally and usually without problems.

But again, that exemption only applies if you're carrying products from one of Canada's licensed producers under the ACMPR.

Knowing what's in your medicine

One of the biggest benefits of buying medical cannabis from a licensed producer is that LPs are subject to strict testing protocols by Health Canada for every product that they grow or manufacture.

First, it means that what you see on your product's packaging is what you actually get.

For example, every Green Relief product we sell is tested by an independent third party for multiple cannabinoids, which ensures we can back up and verify the percentages of THC or CBD on our product labels.

Second, when you buy cannabis from anywhere other than a licensed producer, there are no regulations in place, which means that anything could be added to the product you're ingesting (including substances that shouldn't be there like harmful pesticides or fertilizers).

Regulations and testing protocols also protect you from substances that shouldn't be in your medical cannabis, such as harmful pesticides or fertilizers.

Third, licensed producers grow medical cannabis in state-of-the-art, pharmaceutical-grade facilities, but not for show. These facilities enable LPs to create repeatable processes and growing environments for a particular strain, which means as consistent of a product as possible.

When you're using cannabis as medicine, you don't want to play russian roulette with it - you want consistent, repeatable effects.

Accountability

One aspect of licensed producers that doesn't get mentioned enough is how much they can be held accountable.

As you just read, licensed producers are inspected by Health Canada and are always under the microscope of intense scrutiny. So if a product doesn't contain what it says it does, or includes a substance that shouldn't be there, then the LP can be penalized by Health Canada and even lose their license altogether.

Licensed producers are also held accountable by the general public, too.

You can call your LP if you ever receive an order that was, for example, the wrong weight, not sealed correctly, or the wrong product. Many producers have a return policy as well.

Experienced support every step of the way

When you buy a new laptop or software for your computer, you can call tech support if you ever need assistance.

The same goes for medical cannabis when you get it from a licensed producer.

Buying marijuana at a local dispensary or another outlet might be good for someone who already knows how to self-medicate and which strains work for them, but many people need knowledge from somewhere other than a street corner or the internet.

LPs have dedicated client care teams whose sole mission is to help you. That extends far beyond just support for a product you've bought - they'll help you decide on which strains are best for your needs, what to ask when you talk to your doctor or go to a clinic, and more.

If you're looking to alleviate specific ailments or symptoms and you don't know about dosages, you need the security blanket of speaking to someone who is knowledgeable on the subject.

These are just some of the ways that you can benefit from choosing licensed producers for your medical cannabis, especially after legalization.

As more and more Canadians become better educated on the medicinal benefits of cannabis, the industry will continue to change.

We've already seen major insurance companies cover medical cannabis under certain circumstances, examples of employers covering it for select employees, and lobbying the government to make medical cannabis tax-free.

When medical cannabis adoption becomes even more widespread after legalization, getting a prescription and buying your cannabis from a licensed producer will be even more of a no-brainer.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Key Reasons to Choose Medical Cannabis After Legalization - Green Relief

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
October 17, 2018. That's when the cannabis landscape in Canada changes dramatically. The whole world will be watching when Canada officially becomes the first G7 country to legalize cannabis for recreational use. Once it's legalized, though, what does that mean for the medical cannabis community? A lot of people are assuming that because it's legal,...

# data[].attributes.body
This is a tweeted picture from the Twitter account @CannabisNews. It explains that cannabis is not an entrance drug - as most used to claim it to be. It is in fact an exit drug - an exit to the pharmaceuticals prescribed for specific symptoms. I think this is an important tweet for the baby boomer generation - those that have a preconceived notion of what cannabis will do TO you, rather than FOR you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.embed_code
#TruthNeverDies #truth #TruthMatters #cannabis #marijuana pic.twitter.com/EcLUSlN01o
— Cannabis News 📰 (@CannabisNews) November 4, 2018

# data[].attributes.headline
Information Already In Danger - The Star News Article

# data[].attributes.subject
Information Already In Danger - The Star News Article

# data[].attributes.body
This article touches on the breach between Ontario Cannabis Store and Canada Post. The article states that the information of approximately 4500 cannabis purchasers was accessed from an outside source. While it is unclear what the hacker did with the information, Canada Post and OCS don't think the information was spread. Consumers' biggest concern, regarding the breach, is that they may no longer be able to enter in the States. As stated in the article, Canadians who admit to smoking cannabis may be denied entry to the U.S.A. and may be permanently banned from entering also.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Canada Post admits cannabis privacy breach involving 4,500 Ontario customers | The Star

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
TORONTO - Canada Post publicly admitted to a privacy breach involving thousands of Ontario's online cannabis customers on Wednesday after the province's only outlet for legal recreational marijuana notified clients of the problem.

# data[].attributes.headline
Already Having Shortages - Global News Video

# data[].attributes.subject
Already Having Shortages - Global News Video

# data[].attributes.body
This article highlights New Brunswick & the marijuana shortages they're already experiencing. Just shy of a month after legalization, NB had to close their doors to 12 out of 20 of their Cannabis NB stores. A licensed cannabis provider in NB links the shortages to the industry. The industry was not ready for the height of demand from consumers and are ramping up production with added shifts and more bodies to help fulfill demand.
I think we always have to allow for an adjustment period, things will even out and suppliers will produce enough to meet the demand.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Supply issues continue to impact the recreational cannabis market in New Brunswick.

Cannabis NB says 12 of their 20 stores were unable to open Tuesday morning due to stock concerns.

The update comes after Global News reported that 10 of the Crown corporation's stores were closed on Monday.
READ MORE: Half of Cannabis NB stores closed on Monday morning due to cannabis shortages
The chief commercial officer for OrganiGram, a Moncton-based licenced cannabis producer, says the industry is to blame.

"Right across the country, we're seeing some shortages in inventory," says Ray Gracewood.

"I think really, what it comes down to is a difference within the licenced producers on their ability to meet the expectations that they've set."

The two stores each in Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John were among those closed. A full list of closed stores provided by Cannabis NB include:

Fredericton Woodside

Fredericton Brookside

Oromocto

Bathurst

Miramichi

Campbellton

Edmundston

Wyse St. in Moncton

Main St. in Moncton

Lansdowne in Saint John

Rothesay Avenue in Saint John

Rothesay

Marie-Andrée Bolduc, a spokesperson for Cannabis NB, says they were in tough from the beginning, only receiving 20 to 30 per cent of its original shipment.

She says multiple shipments are expected this week.

"It's not ideal," she says.

"We still have some stores open in certain parts of the province, but we'll try to reopen as soon as we can."

Bolduc says determining when stores could reopen is difficult to predict due to staggered deliveries.

Organigram says it delivered on 144 per cent of its initial order from Cannabis NB, and production has been ramping up to meet targets.

"We've been going full bore on production - increasing the number of shifts that we're running," says Gracewood.

"We've been shipping out literally on a daily basis."

Gracewood says they'll continue to work with New Brunswick, and other provinces across the country to work on forecasting and supply.

"At the end of the day, it's become pretty clear that some of the other licenced producers haven't been able to fill on their commitments."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
More than half of Cannabis NB stores closed on Tuesday as shortages continue

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Supply issues continue to impact the recreational cannabis market in New Brunswick. Cannabis NB says 12 of their 20 stores were unable to open Tuesday morning due to stock concerns. The update comes after Global News reported that 10 of the Crown corporation's stores were closed on Monday.

# data[].attributes.headline
Basics of What You Need to Know About Recreational Cannabis Usage - CNN News Video

# data[].attributes.subject
Basics of What You Need to Know About Recreational Cannabis Usage - CNN News Video

# data[].attributes.body
This is a quick run-down of the basics of what you need to know about the legalization of recreational cannabis usage in Canada. This article is an FAQ, answering: who can buy, where can they buy, where can they smoke, information about previous pot charges, & where else it's legal. The article briefly features Ian Power, the first person to legally buy marijuana in Canada.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the legal age to use recreational marijuana in Canada. It's age 18 in two provinces and 19 in the rest of the country.

People in Canada are cheering, enduring long lines and honking their car horns in support as the country's first marijuana dispensaries open their doors Wednesday.

"I'm having a plaque made with the date and time and everything. This is never actually going to be smoked. I'm going to keep it forever," said Ian Power, who was among the first to buy marijuana in St. John's, a city in the country's easternmost province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Like Power, hundreds are now legally buying recreational marijuana all over Canada, but not without adjusting to a few rules.

As marijuana enthusiasts continue celebrating this historic day for Canada, here's a quick primer to get you up to speed.

Who can buy marijuana in Canada?

Adults will be allowed to buy, use, possess and grow recreational marijuana, under the law. In Quebec and Alberta, the legal age is 18; it's 19 in the remainder of the country. The measure legalizing the recreational use of the drug passed the Senate in June.

Where can I buy it?

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.

"My father is going to be my first customer, and my second customer is going to be a lady who has [multiple sclerosis]," Thomas Clarke, who owns Thomas H. Clarke's Distribution cannabis retail store in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, told CBC News.

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.

Can I travel in and out of Canada with weed?

No.

Please, save yourself a lot of trouble. Whether you are entering or leaving Canada, it is illegal to have marijuana with you, and you could face criminal charges.

You can't travel across international borders with it, even if it you are going to Colorado or any of the other eight US states where it has been legalized.

What about previous pot charges?

Authorities will soon announce plans to pardon Canadians who have been convicted of 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.

Why did they legalize it?

The Canadian legislation, known as the Cannabis Act, stems from a campaign pledge of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to keep marijuana away from underage users and curb marijuana-related crime.

It's been too easy for our kids to get marijuana - and for criminals to reap the profits. Today, we change that. Our plan to legalize & regulate marijuana just passed the Senate. #PromiseKept
- Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 20, 2018

Some health care professionals in Canada have said they are afraid of the consequences of legalizing marijuana. Stringent rules will still govern the purchase and use of marijuana.

Canada's government also made changes to impaired driving laws to address repercussions for driving under the influence of cannabis.

Legalizing cannabis is expected to create an industry worth more than $4 billion in Canada.

Where else is it legal?

Not in many places. Canada is only the second country in the world - and the first G7 nation- to allow a nationwide marijuana market. In December 2013, Uruguay was the first country to legalize the production, sale and consumption of marijuana.

Nine states in the United States and the District of Columbia now allow recreational marijuana use. Medical marijuana is legal in some form in 30 states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The pot industry took in nearly $9 billion in sales in 2017 in the United States, according to BDS Analytics. The revenue from those sales is equivalent to the entire snack bar industry.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Canada just legalized recreational pot. Here's what you need to know | CNN

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the legal age to use recreational marijuana in Canada. It's age 18 in two provinces and 19 in the rest of the country. People in Canada are cheering, enduring long lines and honking their car horns in support as the country's first marijuana dispensaries open their doors Wednesday.