Legislative Newsflash Ontario - Cannabis Act - Oct 2018

The article provides an overview of the changes to the Ontario Cannabis Act, 2017, through the new provincial government's Cannabis Statute Law Amendment Act, 2018 (CSLA). The amendments will allow the smoking of recreational marijuana in places where tobacco smoking is permitted under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017. It also discusses the online purchase of legalized cannabis through the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation (OCRC) website and the delivery process that requires consumers to show government-issued ID and sign for their packages themselves. The OCRC will be the sole retailer of legalized cannabis initially, but the government plans to license private cannabis retailers in the future. Condominiums will have the option to enact Rules to prohibit smoking of cannabis, but the article suggests considering grandfathering both tobacco and cannabis smokers. The federal Cannabis Act will continue to restrict growing four cannabis plants per residence.