Cannabis Legalization in Canada: A Timeline

Cannabis became legal for adult recreational use in Canada on 17 October 2018 under the Cannabis Act. Medical access came earlier, starting in 1999, and edibles, extracts and topicals became legal on 17 October 2019.

When was cannabis legalized in Canada?

On 17 October 2018. Parliament passed Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, which received Royal Assent on 21 June 2018 (S.C. 2018, c. 16). The Department of Justice states that cannabis became legal on 17 October 2018 for adults 18 and older, and provinces and territories may set a higher minimum age.

When did medical cannabis become legal?

Legal access for medical purposes began in 1999, when exemptions under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act first allowed dried marijuana for medical use. A 2000 court decision in R. v. Parker recognized a right to possess it for medical need, and the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations followed in 2001. The Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations replaced the earlier system on 24 August 2016.

When did edibles become legal?

On 17 October 2019. Amendments to the Cannabis Regulations covering edible cannabis, extracts and topicals were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, on 26 June 2019 and came into force that day in October. Health Canada said new products would appear in stores gradually from mid-December 2019. For product limits, see edibles and THC limits in Canada.

Was cannabis legal in Canada before 2018?

For medical use, yes. For adults without a medical need, no: recreational use only became legal on 17 October 2018. Medical access grew in steps, from the 1999 exemptions to commercial licensed producers in June 2013, and then to the 2016 regulations after a Federal Court ruling in Allard v. Canada.

Cannabis legalization timeline

Date	What happened
1999	Exemptions under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act first allowed dried marijuana for medical purposes.
2000	In R. v. Parker, a court held that people with a medical need had a right to possess marijuana for medical purposes.
2001	The Marihuana Medical Access Regulations were introduced.
June 2013	The Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations created a commercial industry of licensed producers.
June 2015	In R. v. Smith, the Supreme Court of Canada found that limiting legal access to dried marijuana was unconstitutional.
February 2016	In Allard v. Canada, the Federal Court found that requiring medical users to buy only from licensed producers violated section 7 of the Charter.
24 August 2016	The Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations came into force.
13 April 2017	Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, was introduced in the House of Commons.
21 June 2018	The Cannabis Act received Royal Assent.
27 June 2018	The Cannabis Regulations (SOR/2018-144) were registered and later published in Canada Gazette, Part II, on 11 July 2018.
17 October 2018	Cannabis became legal for adult non-medical use.
26 June 2019	Edibles, extracts and topicals amendments were published in Canada Gazette, Part II.
17 October 2019	Those amendments came into force.
Mid-December 2019	New edible, extract and topical products were expected in stores gradually.
22 March 2024	The Expert Panel’s final report on the legislative review of the Cannabis Act was tabled in Parliament.

What does the Cannabis Act set nationally?

Section 8 of the Act limits adults to 30 grams of dried cannabis, or an equivalent amount, in a public place. Sections 8 and 12 allow no more than four plants at one time in a dwelling-house, even when several adults live there. Rules on where to buy, where to use and the minimum age are set province by province, so check cannabis laws by province. For a plain-language overview, see the Cannabis Act explained.

Legal date and shelf date

A product can be legal before it is for sale. Edibles became legal in October 2019, but Health Canada expected stores to carry them from mid-December 2019.