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Cannabis to become legal in Canada on October 17, says Trudeau

Jun 20, 2018 | 2:36 PM

OTTAWA – Cannabis will officially be legal in Canada in the fall.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday afternoon in the House of Commons that cannabis will be legal for recreational use in Canada on October 17.

Trudeau says the change will give provinces and territories additional time to craft regulations on the production, consumption and sale of cannabis.

The Senate voted Tuesday evening to approve Bill C-45, also known as the Cannabis Act, which ends an almost 100-year prohibition on marijuana use in Canada. The bill still requires royal assent from the Governor General before it becomes law.

Until the Cannabis Act becomes law, it remains illegal across Canada unless authorized for medical or scientific purposes.

Drug-impaired driving will remain illegal in Canada. It will also remain illegal under the Cannabis Act for travellers to take cannabis out of Canada or bring it back from other countries.