Cannabis is a psychoactive narcotic derived from the cannabis plant, which is sometimes referred to by various names like marijuana or weed.
The primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), while it also contains at least 65 other cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD).

Although it can also be used for psychoactive effects, marijuana is mostly used for recreational or medicinal purposes. Between 12.8 and 232 million individuals (or 2.7% to 4.9% of the world's population between the ages of 15 and 65) smoked cannabis in 2013. It is the most widely used, mostly illicit substance in the world.
On October 17, 2018, the Canadian government legalized, controlled, and limited access to cannabis.\

The Act puts into practice a new, all-encompassing public health strategy that will be more successful in safeguarding children and preventing money from going into the hands of organized crime and criminals.
The Cannabis Act establishes a framework of laws and regulations that govern the growing, distributing, selling, and possession of cannabis in Canada.
It is the duty of the provinces and territories to create, put into place, maintain, and enforce regulations governing the sale and distribution of cannabis.

The Act lessens the load on the courts by permitting adults to grow and possess cannabis legally. It also helps keep cannabis users out of the criminal justice system.