From: Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General
Ontario Preparing for Federal Cannabis Legalization
Province Introduces New Legislation to Protect Youth, Keep Roads and Communities Safe
“Our government has announced a safe and sensible transition to the federal legalization of cannabis. With this bill, we are taking an important step towards implementing an approach that will help eliminate the illegal market, protect young people and keep impaired drivers off the road.”
“Our proposed legislation provides a controlled and socially responsible approach to the legalization of cannabis. As we move forward, we will work with municipalities to achieve our priorities of protecting young people and combating illicit distribution while providing effective measures to inform consumers on the use of cannabis.”
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Quick Facts
- The LCBO will be engaging with municipalities to discuss the process for siting stores. Updates are available at: lcbocannabisupdates.com.
- This legislation would include a proposed new Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017, which, if passed, would provide clarity on where medical cannabis can be smoked or vaped.
- The new Smoke-Free Ontario Act would also address vaping and the use of e-cigarettes to better protect people from second-hand smoke.
- Ontario’s tough new measures to protect road safety would be in addition to penalties for impaired driving convictions under the Criminal Code of Canada.
- The province recently made changes allowing police to immediately remove drivers from the road who they believe are impaired by drugs, including cannabis.
- According to a 2015 report by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 45 per cent of Ontario adults have used cannabis at least once in their lifetime, while about 15 per cent have used cannabis in the past year.
