Cannabis Laws in Ontario: Learn What’s Legal (and What’s Not)

Last updated Februrary 4, 2026 | Published on June 20, 2022 

Cannabis has been legal in Canada since Oct. 17, 2018. With legalization came a series of federal regulations that govern legal cannabis, which are contained in the Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations.

Certain restrictions, including those on cannabis possession limits, buying and selling, consumption and travelling with cannabis, can vary from province to province. While this system may seem complicated, the laws are designed to keep cannabis out of the hands of youth, keep profits out of the pockets of organized crime and protect public health and safety by allowing adults access to tested, traceable legal cannabis.

Here’s how these regulations apply specifically to Ontario cannabis consumers.

Cannabis possession limits in Ontario

The Cannabis Act regulates possession limits, or how much cannabis a consumer can have. In Canada, you are allowed to have a maximum of 30 g (about 1 oz) of dried cannabis (or the equivalent) in public at any time. When you shop at Authorized Cannabis Stores and OCS.ca, all cannabis products you are buying are automatically converted into the equivalent of dried cannabis. You may purchase up to the 30 g limit in one transaction 

30 grams of dried cannabis is equal to:

• 150 g of fresh cannabis
• 450 g of edibles
• 2,100 g of non-solids containing cannabis (such as oils), excluding beverages
• 48 x 355 ml cans of cannabis beverages
• 7.5 g of cannabis concentrates (solid or liquid)
• 30 cannabis plant seeds

If you’re found guilty of possession over the limit, you could face a ticket (for small amounts) or up to five years in jail. You could also incur penalties — from a ticket to 14 years in jail — for growing cannabis beyond the personal limit, which is four plants per residence.

The Cannabis Act also regulates how much THC a product can contain. Knowing the limits can help you distinguish a regulated cannabis product from an unregulated one — here’s how.

Buying or selling unregulated cannabis

Legal cannabis is subject to industry-wide regulations. These rules and standards, which help ensure consumer safety, regulate what types of cannabis products are permitted for sale and their packaging and labelling, serving sizes and potency. A provincially authorized licence is required to sell cannabis. There are penalties for anyone who sells cannabis without a licence, such as a fine or up to 14 years in prison.

There are also penalties for possessing unregulated cannabis products for the purposes of distribution, from a fine to jail time. Here’s how to determine whether a cannabis store is legal.

You must be 19 or older to buy, use, possess and grow recreational cannabis in Ontario

The Cannabis Act includes several measures intended to help protect youth. Selling or giving cannabis to someone under the age of 18 is illegal, as is using someone under 18 to commit a cannabis-related offence. Both are criminal offences, that can carry a sentence of up to 14 years in jail. Provinces and territories can raise the minimum legal age — in Ontario, it’s 19 years or older.

Enticing youth to consume cannabis is also prohibited. Acts such as labelling cannabis in a way that makes it appealing to youth or selling cannabis through a self-service display can result in penalties that include fines of up to $5 million or three years in jail.

Driving under the influence of cannabis

Driving while under the influence of cannabis is illegal — and these laws can be enforced even if you’re not showing signs of impairment.

There’s zero tolerance for young (under 21), novice (holding a G1, G2, M1 or M2 licence) and commercial drivers, meaning they cannot have any THC in their blood while driving. Penalties for all drivers may include fines, an immediate licence suspension, mandatory education programs, vehicle impoundment, a criminal record and jail time. These laws apply to all motor vehicles — including cars, trucks, boats, snowmobiles and off-road vehicles — on both public and private property.

It’s also illegal to consume cannabis in a vehicle or boat that’s being driven (or will be driven after consumption). If cannabis is being transported in a motorized vehicle, it must be:

• in the original packaging and unopened, or
• packaged and firmly sealed (or otherwise not easily accessible to the driver or passengers)

Since the effects of cannabis vary from person to person, as does the rate that cannabis leaves the body’s systems, there is no perfect way to determine your impairment level. The method of consumption adds another set of variables: Some experts have concluded that inhalation can impair your driving skills for six to eight hours, while ingesting cannabis can impair them for eight to 12, and some effects of cannabis, such as drowsiness, can last 24 hours. Err on the safe side and arrange for a ride after consuming cannabis.

Find out more about the effects of cannabis impairment on your driving.

Travelling with cannabis inside Canada

Cannabis possession and consumption laws and limits vary across all Canadian provinces. If you’re travelling within Canada, you’re generally permitted to transport the legal limit of cannabis in either your carry-on or your checked luggage. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority offers guidelines for the transportation of cannabis.

Ensure you check the legal age for cannabis possession and consumption, as well as where you are legally permitted to consume it, for the province or territory you’re travelling to.

Travelling with cannabis outside Canada

When it comes to international travel, you must leave cannabis at home — even if cannabis is legal in your end destination. As per the Cannabis Act, taking cannabis across the Canadian border could land you up to 14 years in jail. And, since cannabis is not legal in most other countries, you could also face stiff penalties in the country you are visiting.

Read more about Canada’s cannabis laws and regulations.

Back to Cannabis Made Clear     Back to Legal Use