Source: h https://www.thestar.com/calgary/2019/10/16/legal-edibles-explained-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-canadas-second-wave-of-cannabis-legalization.html
CALGARY—Edibles and other cannabis products will be legal on Thursday, but you won’t be able to find them on shelves for several weeks at least.
Regulations governing the legal sale of cannabis edibles, extracts and topicals will officially take effect on Oct. 17 — a year to the day after the federal government legalized recreational cannabis use.
So what exactly changes? Will you be able to pick up special brownies at the corner store? How strong will your THC gummies be? Could you enjoy a cannabis-infused chocolate bar in a public park? While you won’t be able to pick up any new cannabis goodies on Thursday — they won’t be ready yet — we’ve got the lowdown on what to look for when edibles do hit the shelves:
What’s on offer?
Cannabis-infused edibles, cannabis extracts and cannabis topicals — think lotions or creams — will all be covered under the new regulations. The range of products is huge: Everything from CBD-infused shampoo to THC chocolate. There are Health Canada limits on potency. Certain products, like cannabis edibles with added alcohol or nicotine-infused cannabis extracts, won’t be allowed at all.
How much will be on store shelves on Oct. 17?
Technically, none. Canada’s regulations for topicals, edibles and extracts take effect on Thursday, but that doesn’t mean weed-infused treats will spring from the ovens of bakers fully-formed. Anyone with a Health Canada license can start production on Oct. 17. The government agency doesn’t expect to see anything on shelves until mid-December.
Where do I buy it?
It depends on where you live. As with the legalization of dried flower cannabis last October, how cannabis edibles and topicals are sold is determined by provincial governments. Alberta’s hands-off approach to sales is fairly different from the government-controlled regime seen in Quebec. In either case, anyone looking to buy cannabis products will need to be 18 or older in Alberta and Quebec, and 19 or older in all other provinces and territories.
Also worth noting: Buying cannabis online from anywhere besides a licensed, provincially-run website, such as albertacannabis.org or the Ontario Cannabis Store, will still be illegal.
Honestly — how stoned will I get?
Despite what you may have read about cannabis overdoses in the United States, Canada’s regulations will be fairly strict. Edibles are limited to just 10 milligrams of THC per package — so a bag of four brownies could only have 2.5 mg. each. This is roughly a tenth of what’s allowed in weed-legal U.S. jurisdictions like California and Washington State.
Other forms of cannabis will be allowed to have far more THC. Inhaled cannabis extracts and topicals will be allowed up to 1,000 mg of THC per package.
Is getting high on edibles different from smoking a joint?
Absolutely. Not only is your body processing the THC differently, but the wait time between consumption and effect is also far longer. In short, if you’re not feeling the effects of a special brownie in 30 minutes, don’t grab another. Just wait. It could take up to 90 minutes for the high to take effect.
Can I eat an edible in public?
It depends on where you are. Municipal bylaws on cannabis consumption can vary. Calgary doesn’t allow any recreational cannabis use in public whatsoever, while Toronto does. Check out your city or town’s local laws.
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