Legal Cannabis Age Set at 19 for Nova Scotia and PEI

Canada's maritime provinces on the Atlantic coast now have rules in place on how to administer the legalization of recreational cannabis that will take place next June when a change to the federal law in Canada goes live.

Nova Scotia and PEI will allow residents and visitors age 19 and up to buy, consume, and grow marijuana for personal use. Limits on purchase and possession will be 30 grams. Adults 19 and up will also be able to grow 4 plants each for personal use.

Despite its reputation as an agricultural powerhouse, PEI will look to licensed Nova Scotia suppliers to fill its government-operated cannabis stores. At the same time, Nova Scotia is not sure that its local suppliers can keep up with demand, and announced they will look to suppliers in other provinces.

The two provinces decided on different ways to go about selling their cannabis, and that's another detail getting some people upset. PEI will sell its cannabis only in government-operated cannabis stores, which will be separate facilities run by the liquor commission.

Nova Scotia will also sell cannabis through its liquor commission, but will sell cannabis in the same building with its alcohol sales. Selling alcohol and cannabis in the same stores contradicts federal recommendations meant to reduce co-use of cannabis and alcohol.

Both provinces already had a legal drinking age of 19. The decision to make the cannabis age 19 was mostly to keep the two things consistent, as stated by both governments. A minority contingent had argued for age limits of 25 and up, citing perceived health and safety risks, but these arguments were rejected.

Consumption of cannabis is limited to personal residences, with no public consumption permitted in either province. PEI explicitly states this policy exists in part to "prevent the normalization of cannabis smoking without stigmatization."

Meanwhile, a poll conducted by the Nova Scotia government showed that 73% of residents support outdoor consumption of cannabis. Regardless of public opinion, that prohibition remains in place for now.

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