There has been quite a debate on the legalization of CBD in countries across the world. While some have accepted it and deemed it fit for consumption for medicinal and recreational purposes like Canada, others are still on the fence.
Research studies on CBD have brought various unpleasant truths to the surface that are only getting verified with time, especially regarding the prolonged usage of CBD for recreational activities. These studies show that THC, the primary psychoactive component of CBD, can get addictive, distort your sense of time, and make your senses immune in the long run. After Uruguay, Canada became the 2nd country to legalize CBD consumption for recreational purposes in 2018.
Today, cannabis is legalized in Canada, with some provinces differing slightly in their rules like the minimum age for consumption, sales, and storing cannabis plants. However, this wasn’t the case all along. Canada has had a rocky history regarding cannabis and yet has stringent laws regarding buying and selling it.
History of CBD in Canada
The history of cannabis production in Canada dates back to the 19th century. Hemp production was mainly looked up to as the gold mine for making the economy stronger. Farmers were encouraged to replace their crops with the cannabis plant to pave the way for industrial growth. This method continued for many decades until CBD started becoming popular as a psychoactive, addictive drug.
Until the early 20th century, the legal status of cannabis had remained unchanged. Soon after, research studies started surfacing, which showed cannabis as a psychoactive drug due to its THC content, thereby putting it in a bad light, which led to cannabis – both hemp and marijuana getting prohibited across the country.
The 60s-90s were a period of extreme ups and downs regarding the legal status of CBD Canada. The government first introduced a ban but later decided to promote industrial hemp production in controlled measures.
While it is easy to get your hands on CBD products in Canada as a consumer, selling CBD products and by-products in Canada is an equally tedious process these days. The Canadian government closely monitors the entire procedure starting from cultivation, storage, distribution, and selling of CBD. Also, this process is expensive and takes several months before one can gain a permit to deal in CBD and CBD products.
Current conditions for purchasing CBD in Canada
Currently, CBD is entirely legal in Canada under the Cannabis Act passed in 2018 under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Both marijuana and hemp are legal to obtain and store, but only licensed individuals can produce and sell CBD.
Individuals at least 19 years of age can have a maximum of 30 grams of dry marijuana in public. Possession above this permissible limit could warrant five years in prison.
Since the Act has come into effect, there has been quite a stir in the Canadian population. While most provinces have a uniform age limit for citizens to get their hands on CBD, regions like Alberta and Quebec have set it to 18. Except for Manitoba and Quebec, all areas in Canada have also allowed up to 4 cannabis plants at home for householders.
Buying and storing CBD products isn’t a hassle in Canada. However, people should not cross the Canada-USA border while carrying CBD. Some states in the USA are yet to legalize the consumption of CBD. But even when crossing over to a CBD-legal USA state from Canada, it is best to leave your CBD products behind instead of jumping through legal hoops to get them across internationally.
It is easy to buy CBD in Canada both online and in-store. While it is simple to invest in American-based CBD brands, you can also look into reliable CBD brands from Canada, which gained significant popularity among the citizens.
Which are the most balanced strains for CBD in Canada?
For CBD strain to be termed ‘balanced,’ it needs to carry both THC and CBD in equal, proportionate quantities. A strain containing high amounts of THC (10-30%) but negligible quantities of CBD is a high, potent THC strain. The same applies to CBD dominant strains (5-20%) with insignificant THC content.
Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC is the active ingredient in CBD, which is also legal in Canada. The significant difference between CBD and THC is that CBD is the major component of cannabis; THC is the psychoactive ingredient that gives a high when consumed. Currently, the Cannabis Act 2018 does not recognize any difference between THC and CBD content, the rules being the same for both.
People often use the terms ‘cannabis’, ‘marijuana,’ and ‘hemp’ interchangeably but are quite different. Cannabis is an umbrella term, the plant being cannabis Sativa, that includes both hemp and marijuana. Hemp and marijuana differ on account of their CBD and THC content.
From a recreational perspective, the combination of THC+CBD, which reaches 16.8%, is ideal for the performance of the stain.
Summing it up:
CBD is a potent drug for both recreational and medicinal purposes. It is beneficial in many ways, but only when used appropriately.
The laws and regulations in Canada have been designed to keep its citizens safe from overdoses of CBD and open the doors for its medicinal purposes. The safest option is to abide by these rules for the healthy and legal wellbeing of oneself and one’s family.
Author: Kaitlin Justice
