October 17, 2018 was a historic day for all of Canada as weed was legalized nationally. All of the sudden it was legal to buy pot, consume in public, and possess in public.
The rules are a little confusing though, so we put together a primer on buying and consuming legal cannabis in Brockville.
- Where To Buy Legal Cannabis In Brockville
- Where To Consume Weed In Brockville
- What Are The Laws and Legal Limits
- 5 Ways To Enjoy Legal Cannabis
- What Are The Effects Of THC And How Long Do They Last?
Where To Buy Legal Cannabis In Brockville
Buying legal weed in Brockville is about to get much easier. There are 5 stores opening up in the area within the next few months. Only 2 of those stores will be in Brockville.
Currently the licence application status of all 5 stores is “In Progress”. The store must wait for their approval and can open when the status changes to “Authorized to Open”.
Check here for the most up to date list.
Sessions Cannabis Brockville
Sessions Cannabis is set to open at 2441 Parkdale Ave East. They will be located in the plaza alongside Gabriels Pizza. The website shows an opening date of March 2021
ShinyBud Cannabis Brockville
ShinyBud Cannabis is hoping to call Commerce Court home if their license is approved by the province.
Tweed In Smiths Falls
Tweed Inc. at 1 Hershey Drive hopes to have a retail shop open as well.
Cannabis Bazaar in Gananoque
Cannabis Bazaar at 210 King St East in Gananoque is now open!
OCS
The only legal online store for cannabis is the Ontario Cannabis Store. They have pretty much everything you can find in a store and likely more.
Delivery options range from Canada Post to Next-Day Courier delivery.
Where To Consume Weed In Brockville
A good rule you can follow for compliant cannabis consumption is that you can smoke or vape weed anywhere you can smoke tobacco.
Just to clarify though, this is what the government says about where you can and can’t consume.
Where you CAN consume legal cannabis in Brockville
- In your home, or the home of a friend if you have their permission
- Outdoor places like parks and sidewalks, unless otherwise stated by signage
- Designated smoking rooms in hotels, motels, and other accommodations
- Boats or vehicles that have permanent sleeping areas and are parked or anchored
- Scientific research and testing facilities
- Designated areas in long-term care homes, retirement homes, and other similar facilities
Again, just remember, if you can smoke a cigarette, you can probably smoke a joint as well.
Where you CAN’T consume legal cannabis in Brockville
- Indoors, unless it is your home, or you have permission to consume inside
- In Schools or within 20 metres of the school grounds
- Anywhere children are nearby
- In Hospitals or within 9 metres of an entrance to such facility (unless in a designated area)
- Publicly owned spaces like sport fields, spectator areas or within 20 metres of these areas
- Vehicles or boats that are being driven or will be driven
- In restaurants or on patios or within 9 metres of a patio
- On government property (cough, the courthouse…)
- Bus shelters, the bandstand at Hardy Park, any public structure with a roof and more than 2 walls that people usually go to
- Community recreational areas or within 20 metres of those areas
What Are The Laws and Legal Limits
As with anything fun, there are laws and limits that must be kept in mind while enjoying yourself.
Here they are at a glance:
- You must be 19 years or older
- Can carry up to 30g in public
- You can grow up to 4 plants
- Don’t drive while impaired
Age
The legal age for cannabis is the same as tobacco and alcohol in Ontario. You must be 19 years old to buy, consume, possess, and grow cannabis.
Possession
You are legally allowed to carry up to 30g of dried cannabis or equivalent in public. Products like edibles and oils will have a “dried flower equivalent” written on the side of the package. Read more about possession limits here.
Growing
If you are over 19 years old, you can grow up to 4 plants at your residence. The seeds or clones must be purchased from the OCS or a Licensed Retailer. You can’t sell the weed that you grow, it must be for personal use.
Driving
First, there is a zero-tolerance for youth, novice, or commercial drivers. If you fit in one of those categories, do not have any cannabis in your system at all while driving. Really that goes for anyone, don’t smoke and drive!
Cannabis must also be stored in original un-opened packaging, or out of anyones reach while driving. Very similar to the rules for alcohol.
5 Ways To Enjoy Cannabis
There are 5 main ways we can enjoy the effects of the cannabis plant. Beverages, Edibles, Flower, Vapes, and Concentrates. Each have their own unique twist to the experience.
Beverages
Beverages are the newest cannabis format and can have a limit of 10mg per can or bottle. You can find sparkling waters infused with THC or CBD, concentrated THC “shots”, CBD and THC teas, and THC drink powders.
The strength of the drinks ranges from 2-10mg or THC. A 2mg drink is much like a beer, you will feel it in about 15-30 minutes but won’t be overwhelmed. The 10mg beverages are for the seasoned cannabis user, they will take you to outer space.
Edibles
Cookies, gummies, mints, and chocolates are also available with a boost of THC or CBD. Like drinks, they have a limit of 10mg and the products range in strength between 2mg and 10mg of THC.
Edibles usually take a little longer for the effects to kick in. This is due to the way THC is absorbed through the stomach.
Flower
Dried flower, or bud, is the most common way to consume THC. With dried flower, you either roll a joint, smoke a bong, or use a dry herb vape. This is one of the more harmful ways to consume cannabis but the effects are almost immediate.
A joint would likely be too much for a new user, so start low and go slow.
Vapes
Vapes are also a relatively new format for the legal market. You can find either disposable or cartridge/battery combinations available for sale.
Cannabis vapes are akin to an electronic cigarette, the cartridge containers a liquid cannabis concentrate which produces a vapour when heated with an element. Cartridges require a battery which screws onto the cartdrige.
Concentrates
Concentrates like shatter, oils, and hash are also available through legal outlets. These products are higher in strength than most of the other products for sale. Concentrates can contain up to 1000mg of THC per package.
The nice thing about oils is you are able to control your dose a little more accurately. For this reason, it is common for medical cannabis products to come in oil form.
What Are The Effects Of THC And How Long Do They Last?
THC is the compound that creates the euphoric “high” that is associated with cannabis use. The effect THC varies among users. Some people have a high tolerance, some people have a very low tolerance.
The effects will be temporary, usually lasting a few hours or so. Some formats like edibles will take much longer for the effects to start to show. Other formats like smoking tend to take effect almost immediately.
Most people use cannabis because it:
- reduces stress and helps anxiety
- help them focus or concentrate
- makes them feel happier, social, and energetic
- it’s fun!
If you do consume too much cannabis you might experience a few of these symptoms:
- sleepiness
- dizzyness
- panic or paranoia
- slow reaction times
These side effects will also be temporary and all that is usually required is some rest and water.
