It can be easy to take for granted how good Canadians have it when it comes to weed. We visit boutique dispensaries and grab our favourite strains and edibles like we’re picking up sugar at the grocery store. However, as only the second nation in the world to pass the legalization of cannabis, Canada is a toking trailblazer on a global scale.
Through the centuries, attitudes around weed have undergone a natural progression, creating a fascinating history of marijuana in Canada. While the plant has been part of Canadian life for over 400 years, Canada’s marijuana legalization was a winding road full of zigs and zags.
It’s time to discover the greener side of the Great White North. Let’s dive into the roots of cannabis, its storied use, and how we became one of the first countries to legalize it at the federal level.
420 Starts in the 17th Century
Much of the written history of marijuana in Canada starts in the 17th century. Louis Hebert, a Parisian botanist, is considered by many to have planted the first cannabis crop in what is now Nova Scotia in 1606. While the plant’s medicinal value was celebrated in the East, early uses in Canada revolved around hemp.
Hemp was such a valued crop that colonial governments offered seeds and bonuses to farmers to entice them to grow it. It was a critical crop used for textiles, and its demand was incredibly high. While this wasn’t the same as marijuana legalization in Canada, it goes to show that an enthusiastic attitude towards the plant stretches back centuries.
Early Medical Promise
The 19th century saw the Western world apply cannabis to the medical field. It was prescribed by doctors for a long list of ailments, often in the form of a tincture. Even noted Canadian doctor Sir William Osler would write of the power of cannabis in treating migraines in his book The Principles and Practice of Medicine. This was an early precursor to medical cannabis legalization in Canada.
Of course, marijuana legalization in Canada includes recreational use, too. Recreational use took hold late in the 19th century as many artists, musicians, and workers discovered the soothing effects of smoking dried marijuana flower, making it a go-to option for recreational downtime and relaxation.
The First Anti-Drug Act
In 1908, Canada passed The Opium Act, the first anti-drug law in the country. While many scholars believe this law was less about reducing drug use and more about maintaining social order, there’s no denying that it pushed Canada’s marijuana legalization back by a century.
Following The Opium Act was the Opium and Drug Act of 1911. The final nail in cannabis’ coffin was its inclusion in the Confidential Restricted List. This classification officially criminalized possession and cultivation. This era was the first time in the history of marijuana in Canada that attitudes toward the plant shifted toward a negative bias.
The Hippie Era
In the 1960s, the smell of revolution and weed was thick in the air. From the civil rights movement to the counterculture of the hippies, the world was rethinking its established norms. Part of this new youth movement was a curiosity surrounding the potential of cannabis.
While the legalization of marijuana in Canada was still half a century away, the attitudes surrounding the plant were beginning to shift. While older citizens were still skeptical, a new generation was starting to see the plant in a whole new light. To them, it stood for shaking up the status quo and looking at the world through a brand-new lens. This new acceptance found weed regularly appearing in pop culture.
In what would be the first big step in Canada’s legalization of marijuana, a 1972 commission recommended the decriminalization of cannabis. The report concluded that the cost of punishing offenders was too high, given the plant’s low toxicity and rates of abuse.
Medical Marijuana
In 1996, authorities arrested Terry Parker for growing weed at home to treat his epilepsy. This moment would forever change the history of marijuana in Canada. Over the next four years, court battles would rage over Parker’s right to access what he considered medicine.
At the dawn of the new millennium, a landmark decision allowed for the legalization of marijuana in Canada for medical purposes. With a prescription, Canadians were now one of the first people in the world who could freely benefit from cannabinoids and terpenes.
Marijuana Legalization in Canada
While it would take a few more decades, the legalization of marijuana in Canada felt inevitable. Attitudes surrounding cannabis became more relaxed while activists and proponents created compelling arguments based on several decades of legal medical use.
In 2018, The Cannabis Act became law. This law legalized purchasing, possessing, and growing marijuana in Canada. In just its first year of legality, Canadians spent more than $1 billion on cannabis. Clearly, this was what the people wanted all along. By 2019, topicals and concentrates were hitting the market as the history of marijuana in Canada began an exciting new chapter.
Today, the government continues to adjust and update laws regarding purchasing limits, potency, and taxation, making Canada a global legalization success story.
Canada’s Cannabis Legalization: The Rest is History
It might not seem like it, but each time you step foot in a cannabis store, many centuries’ worth of people helped make that dream a reality. From hemp farmers to hippies, the history of cannabis in Canada is brimming with hard work, imagination, and innovation. So, the next time you pull out a perfectly crafted pre-roll from your pocket, take a moment to appreciate your place in the wild history of Canada’s cannabis legalization!
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