On June 19, 2018, the Senate voted to pass Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act. Senators voted 52-29, with two abstentions, to pass the final version of the Bill.
On June 7, 2018, after months of debate, the Senate proposed 46 amendments to the Cannabis Act to the House of Commons. The House of Commons voted to reject many of the material changes the Senate had proposed to the Bill. The rejected changes include:
- Banning the use of cannabis brand elements on promotional items
- Allowing provinces and territories to ban home-grown cannabis
- Requiring public disclosure of investors
Now that the Senate has approved the Cannabis Act without its proposed material amendments, the Bill will receive Royal Assent and become law. There will be an eight-to-12 week delay to allow provinces to prepare for sales of adult cannabis. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that adult cannabis will become legal in Canada as of October 17, 2018. This delay will allow provinces to prepare for sales of adult cannabis.
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