Canada legalises marijuana for recreational use

E-Paper | May 09, 2026

OTTAWA: Marijuana lovers celebrated the full legalisation of the weed in Canada on Wednesday as the nation embarked on a controversial experiment in drug policy attempted by only one other country.

Scores of customers braved the cold for hours outside Tweed, a pot boutique in St John’s, Newfoundland that opened at midnight, to buy their first grams of legal cannabis.

Legalisation has sent stocks in pot companies soaring on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges, but has also been sharply questioned by some health professionals and opposition politicians.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2018

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Sameer

Oct 18, 2018 09:32am

But what will happen to pharmas and their expensive depression and pain prescriptions?

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Magnanimous approach

Oct 18, 2018 09:44am

The marijuana producing countries will earn more money. The Canadians will become more addict, and the industrial growth will become slow. The marijuana addict drivers will face more accidents as roads and highways in Canada need alert drivers but marijuana disalert . Earlier tourists from US and other nations wish to see Niagra Fall and lakes in Canada, now they will tour Canada to try marijuana.

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Ali

Oct 18, 2018 11:03am

Lets see the impact in long run. Right now its too early to say anything.

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Abdul Rahman Jan

Oct 18, 2018 11:52am

Recrational use of cannabis is actually quite harmful and can and will result in further addictions. Medical use is ok, cannabis oil derivative (cannabidiol) has some practical uses for epilepsy, some types of anxiety and etc and licensed use should be allowed everywhere. Canada seems to be only looking at increasing revenues , via exploiting peoples weakness for intoxicants, in this case.

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Maria enteparia onnuchoriu

Oct 18, 2018 04:50pm

A great new Era.

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Rana1

Oct 18, 2018 08:00pm

@Abdul Rahman Jan ...human always has used this weed ever since Earth was there.

Recommend 0

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