Marijuana Laws and Policies in New Brunswick, Canada 2020
When the country of Canada was finally able to lift the restrictions of both medical and recreational marijuana, its economy and overall generation of revenue significantly increased. This, of course, included the province of New Brunswick which actually boasts one of the highest weed usage rates in the whole Great White North! Recent studies show that the province of New Brunswick places joint second in cannabis consumption per capita in
Canada, behind only Nova Scotia and tied with Newfoundland and Labrador.
From having accessible weed dispensaries to observing some very lenient and lax cannabis laws, the province of New Brunswick certainly does know how to handle their marijuana scenes! So, what are the rules and regulations that govern the use of weed in this part of the country? Let’s have a look!
History of Cannabis in New Brunswick, Canada
The use of medical marijuana was first made legal in New Brunswick in the year 2001 when the Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (which was later renamed to the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations) was passed into law.
This achievement, which was supported by more than half of the residents in the country, allowed people in the Great White North to make full use of cannabis as a means to treat their health conditions.
In fact, in the year 2003, an establishment which was called the Saint John Cannabis Cafe was built in order to openly distribute and supply residents of Canada. Because the operation of cannabis establishments was not a part of the mandated medical marijuana policy, this was technically an illegal establishment.
However, because of the lenient policies governing marijuana in the province, there were no legal conflicts with regards to the Saint John’s Cannabis Cafe. Not only patients but even outsiders from different provinces or countries made their way to Saint John’s solely for buying weed.
The Cannabis Act or C-45’s Impact on New Brunswick:
When the Cannabis Act allowed the use, possession, and distribution of recreational marijuana in the whole country of Canada, New Brunswick government officials and various lawmakers looked to take advantage of such luxury.
In addition to the governing rules under Federal Law, the local government of New Brunswick established their own set of policies (via the Cannabis Control Act and the Cannabis Management Corporation Act) in order to fully control and regulate marijuana use in New Brunswick.
Among the different provisions enumerated in the cannabis laws in New Brunswick, many of them allowed more than 20 different government-authorized cannabis shops to legally distribute marijuana products across the whole province. Additionally, the laws allow over 250 different weed products that come in various forms and types to be sold and distributed by retail stores and weed dispensaries.
There are many local events and festivals that celebrate cannabis use and consumption around this part of the country. However, in order to promote safe use and responsibility, numerous programs that look to educate people about weed and make them aware of the different risks and effects are available to residents.
Cannabis Regulation Body/Policies
As stated above, New Brunswick has been able to come up with different local laws in order for the government to administer the activities that make use of cannabis in the area. The Cannabis Control Act was made in order to regulate consumption and use of recreational marijuana.
On the other hand, the Cannabis Management Corporation Act establishes all the rules in relation to the registry, licensing, and operations of retail stores and dispensaries that look to distribute marijuana products.
The medical marijuana program of New Brunswick is headed by the national government. It is treated as a separate entity and is subject to different sets of rules as opposed to recreational cannabis policies.
Legal Age, Purchasing, and Possession of Cannabis
Legal age:
Adults and residents of New Brunswick are allowed to engage and partake in all forms of cannabis activities as long as they are 19 years old and above. It is strictly prohibited for people who are underaged to do so and may result in criminal charges.
This age limit is consistent with all the other provinces except for Alberta (18 years old) and Quebec (21 years old).
Purchasing locations and possession limits:
Cannabis NB, which is an acting side branch of the New Brunswick Liquor Corporation, is the only source of recreation and adult-use cannabis that residents must purchase their marijuana supplies from. Cannabis NB sources also include both physical and online cannabis stores.
Adults who are of the legal minimum age limit in New Brunswick are also authorized to possess and carry up to 30 grams at any given time in public. Also, there is no stated limit for the amount of marijuana products that you can keep in your households.
As for the purchasing limit, adults are only allowed to buy up to 30 grams of cannabis products per transaction. These products must be obtained from government-licensed sources only.
Consumption and Cultivation of Cannabis
Consumption limits:
All activities of cannabis use and consumption must only be done in private homes, privately-owned properties, as well as vacant lots with no large volumes of people around. Using marijuana for either medical or recreational purposes in any public place is strictly prohibited.
The general rule of authorizing people to consume marijuana in places where tobacco consumption is permitted does not seem to take effect in New Brunswick. Additionally, there are currently no marijuana cafes and social lounges that offer marijuana-friendly rules. For your best experience, we recommend using marijuana strictly in private areas.
The Motor Vehicle Act of New Brunswick also disallows the use and smoking of cannabis in any particular vehicle, whether it is being operated or parked in a public space.
Cannabis cultivation:
Adults who meet the legal age requirement of New Brunswick are permitted to grow and cultivate their own cannabis plants within their households. All supplies of cannabis seeds used to grow must also be purchased from Cannabis NB sources.
The limit of growing and cultivating cannabis plants is set to four (4) plants per household.
New Brunswick is surely one of the most tolerating and less restrictive places in Canada that operates a marijuana industry. Both residents and visitors from other places are welcome to try and purchase the cannabis products offered within the province.
If you are a patient in New Brunswick or just a casual resident who is looking to get high, then getting your hands on weed is easy! The province offers numerous local dispensaries that are all regulated by the highest standards of the country.
