Canadians queue up for cannabis as drug becomes legal

Canadians queue up for cannabis as drug becomes legal

Canadians have been queueing across the country for the chance to buy cannabis after the ban on the sale of the drug for recreational use came to an end yesterday.

Newfoundland and Labrador man Ian Power was the first person to buy marijuana legally at midnight yesterday.

“It’s been my dream to be the first person to buy the first legal gram of cannabis in Canada, and here I finally am,” he said.

Alex Smith, who bought the drugs at the only legal shop in British Columbia, said it was “a little surreal”.

He told the BBC: “For my entire adult life I’ve been a closet pot smoker, trying to hide it because I do tend to run in circles that don’t consume cannabis that often.

“Now that it’s legal - and actually going into a storefront like this - I felt almost relieved but also justified in smoking pot. It’s OK now, in the government’s mind at least.”

However, several aspects of cannabis consumption remain illegal.

Users have to be 18 or 19, depending on the province, in order to buy the drug, and there are strong penalties in place for those who try to sell to minors.

Canadians can also only possess 30 grams on their person in public.

In addition, the government has introduced a drug-impaired driving offence that can lead to fines or imprisonment. Suspected drivers will have to provide a saliva sample or take a roadside sobriety test, which can identify the presence of the psychoactive compound THC.

Legal experts have raised concerns about the reliability of such tests and their use is expected to be tested in court.

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