As of October 17, 2018, the use of cannabis will be legal all across Canada. The rules for having and using cannabis are different in each province. Here are a few notable points for Nova Scotia, particularly when it comes to using it where you live:

• You must be over the age of 19. Period.

• If you own your home you are free to smoke cannabis, however, if you rent your landlord may amend your lease agreement to put rules in place to restrict or ban smoking cannabis on their property.

• There is a limit to how much you can have on you in public, however, there will be no restrictions on how much you can have in your home, as long as it is for personal use.

• You must adhere to the Smoke-free Places Act when using Cannabis.

• Adults will be able to grow up to four (4) plants per household. Each house, apartment or building is considered its own household.   

• If you are on municipal services (water and sewage) you must grow your plants indoors. If you are not on municipal services you can grow your plants outdoors.

• Check out municipal by-laws in your area. Municipalities are entitled to pass by-laws related to the cultivation of plants.  Here is the link to the by-laws and information page for Halifax.

• If you believe a neighbour is not in compliance with the laws or by-laws call 311 to report suspected violations.

You can find a general summary provided of the highlights on rules and regulations provided by the province here.

If you have any questions about the use of cannabis.  You can call us at (902) 826-3070 to set up a meeting or contact us online.  You can also schedule a no commitment Issue Review Consult for $250+HST where you have the opportunity to explain your situation to a lawyer and get basic advice before deciding whether or not you'd like to retain us.

By Briana O’Grady, Associate Lawyer

The information and materials on this blog are provided for general informational purposes only and are not intended to be legal advice. Nothing contained on this blog is legal advice or constitutes a legal opinion. While it is our goal to provide information which is current, legislative changes and court decisions, among other matters, may result in some information no longer being current or accurate. You should consult a lawyer before relying on any information. The views expressed herein by individual contributing lawyers posting entries to the blog are solely those of the authors and should not necessarily be attributed to or considered representative of the firm of Highlander Law Group Lawyers.