Quebec raising legal age for cannabis to 21, the strictest in the country

MONTREAL — Quebecers under the age of 21 won’t be able to legally buy or possess cannabis as of Wednesday, as the province’s new legal age for consuming recreational pot goes into effect.

The measure was brought in by the Coalition Avenir Quebec government earlier this fall, fulfilling an election promise to raise the age limit from 18 with a stated goal of keeping marijuana away from youth.

But public policy and public health experts have said the vast majority of younger users will likely continue to consume cannabis, and they may end up going to illegal sources to obtain the product.

The federal law sets the minimum age at 18 but leaves it open to provinces and territories to establish their own rules.

The legal age for consumption is 19 in every other province except Alberta, where it’s 18.

At 21, Quebec will now have the toughest age restrictions by far, while the province’s legal age for alcohol and tobacco will remain at 18.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 31, 2019.

The Canadian Press

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