Cannabis in Canada

Starting from Wednesday, October 17, the possession and consumption of cannabis is now legal in all of Canada

However, it is up to the provinces to regulate the distribution and sale. The rules differ vastly from province to province.

Wikipedia: legality of cannabis

British Columbia and Ontario, the country’s most populous province, currently do no allow physical retail stores, online shops are the only way to purchase. Ontario has also granted its municipalities the right to pass bylaws with stricter rules around the consumption.
In Markham, a city with a population of 328 thousand in the north-east of the Greater Toronto Area some 30km from Downtown Toronto, the city council voted 13-0 to ban cannabis consumption in public places. In Nova Scotia, one of the countries 3 Maritime provinces, distribution is only allowed through the province’s own crown corporation that also handles the distribution of alcohol, the Noca Scotia Liqor Corporation.

The Globe and Mail: cannabis legalisation day one

Additionally to the legalisation, the liberal government in Ottawa under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also promised new legislation to give people convicted of simple possession easier ways to apply for pardons.

Despite varying and confusing regulations and criticism from some conservative politicians and media outlets, Canadian news media show pictures of lineups at various retails stores just before the ban was officially lifted.

While the consumption is now legal in Canada, Canadians still risk being banned from travelling to the United States if they admit to consuming pot.

(Foto source)