- cultivating and processing cannabis
- sale of cannabis for medical purposes
- analytical testing of and research with cannabis
- cannabis for scientific or medical purposes
- industrial hemp
- the Regulations set out strict requirements for:
- logos
- colours
- branding
- mandatory health warnings
- standardized cannabis symbol
- specific information about the product
For more information on the Cannabis Regulations, please refer to the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement that was published in the Canada Gazette, Part II on July 11, 2018 (begins on page 2802 of the PDF version).
Regulations for Edible Cannabis, Cannabis Extracts, and Cannabis Topicals
On October 17, 2019, the Cannabis Regulations were updated to establish rules for the legal production and sale of three new classes of cannabis:
- edible cannabis
- cannabis extracts
- cannabis topicals
As required by the Cannabis Act, the amended regulations came into force on October 17, 2019. However, it will take time, after that date, before new cannabis products become available for purchase. Adult consumers can expect new products to appear gradually in physical and online stores beginning in mid-December 2019.
For a complete description of these new rules, please see the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement (RIAS), as published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, on June 26, 2019.
The Safe Food for Canadians Act and its regulations will not be applied to edible cannabis. For more information, please review the Notice: Control Framework for Edible Cannabis.
Industrial Hemp Regulations
Industrial hemp is cannabis that contains 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or less in the flowering heads and leaves.
The Industrial Hemp Regulations under the Cannabis Act set out the requirements for cultivators of industrial hemp. Cultivators of industrial hemp must grow from the hemp varieties approved for commercial cultivation.
While the Industrial Hemp Regulations are generally consistent with the old Industrial Hemp Regulations under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, some changes were made to align licence requirements to the relatively low risk posed by industrial hemp as compared with other varieties of cannabis.
One of the changes that was made is that the sale of hemp plants (flowers, leaves and branches) to licensed cannabis processors is now permitted, to provide a source of low THC, high cannabidiol (CBD) cannabis products.
Consultations
- experts
- patients and advocates
- employers and industry
- provinces, territories, and municipalities
- Indigenous governments and representative organizations
In November 2017, we launched a 60-day public consultation on a detailed consultation paper entitled Proposed Approach to the Regulation of Cannabis.
In March 2018, we published a Summary of Comments Received During the Public Consultation, which summarized the feedback received from thousands of Canadians.
On December 20, 2018, we also launched a public consultation on proposed regulations to minimize the risks posed by edible cannabis, cannabis extracts and cannabis topicals. These were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, on December 22, 2018.
During the 60-day public comment period on the proposed regulations, we received nearly 6,800 responses to an online questionnaire and 450 written submissions. We also undertook targeted consultations with:
- youth
- industry
- the provinces and territories
- public health organizations
- patients and patient advocates
We carefully considered all feedback in the development of the final regulations.
Documents incorporated by reference under the Cannabis Act
Documents "Incorporated by reference" are documents or lists not in the text of the regulations that are made a part of the regulations. The documents that are incorporated by reference follow the Health Canada Incorporation by Reference Policy. They have the force of law.
Under the Cannabis Act documents are incorporated by reference in the Cannabis Fees Order, the Cannabis Regulations and the Industrial Hemp Regulations.
Any of the following documents can be found by searching in Health Canada's Incorporation by Reference Inventory. Archived lists are also available in the Inventory.
- April All-Items Consumer Price Index for Canada
- CPA Canada Handbook - Accounting
- Cannabis Health Warning Messages
- Previous Versions : 2018-10-17
- Previous Version (2018-10-17)
- Canadian Regulations and Procedures for Breeder Seed Crop Production
- List of Approved Cultivars
- United Nations' Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961
