Canadians Take Flight!

Dylan Immonen

Oct. 31, 2018

Canadians Take Flight!

As of October 17th, Canada has become the second country in the world to federally legalize recreational marijuana.

No longer do you need to meet your town’s local degenerate behind the Loblaws in order to hang out with Mary Jane. While all the provinces will have different rules and regulations, legal pot will now be accessible to adults in the great white north.

Here in Ontario, the only way to get legal weed is through the Ontario Cannabis Store website. Federally licensed stores will not pop up in the province until after April 1st, 2019. Quite the April Fools Day prank.

However, if you happen to be in a city such as Hamilton and are of age, you may be able to get into a pre-established private dispensary that is still open. Is this legal? Technically not, but the provincial government has already stated they will leave it up to the individual municipalities. Check out the website WeedMaps to search for different cannabis products, brands, and dispensaries. Go at your own risk.

These illegal dispensaries however are not as shady as some may wish for you to believe. From ones I have seen (for specifically research purposes), they are simply one room stores, with just jars of weed in a large display case for customers to browse. Other products these stores may sell include edibles and concentrates, both of which are not included in Bill C-45 or “the Cannabis Act.”

The federal government has cited keeping cannabis out of the hands of youth, as well as regulating cannabis to make it safer as reasons for legality. The hefty tax dollars that the government will be collecting is also no doubt a contributing factor.

My personal opinion on the legalization of marijuana is mostly positive. I believe marijuana has great benefits for both medical and recreational use. It can do everything from stop writer's block, help people sleep, treat anxiety or depression, or just get you feeling nice and relaxed with some friends, some munchies, and maybe a funny movie or two.

For any questions and concerns you have regarding recreational cannabis, you can click here to get more information.