Start here

New to Canada’s legal cannabis market? Start here.

The first questions, in a sensible order. Read this before you browse a store, a label or a product category.

Start with the system, not the product.

Canada’s adult-use cannabis framework is legal, but it is not unregulated. In Ontario, adults purchase through the provincial online store or from authorized private retailers.

Look for authorization, read the label, and keep current rules in view. Ontario’s legal age is 19; confirm identification requirements directly with the retailer or official provincial source.

What the package can tell you

A legal package communicates what is inside, how much is there and how cannabinoids are expressed. THC and CBD are listed in specific ways; net weight and lot information help identify the product.

Indica, sativa and hybrid remain common retail language, but they are not a substitute for reading the actual label. Store products securely, keep them away from children and pets, and never drive impaired.