Yes, but it takes practice to create cannabis-infused products that are consistently dosed. You can learn more about the considerations of cooking with cannabis here. For information on safe food handling and preparation (i.e. cannabis-infused foods) please click here.
Cannabis products like cookies, gummy bears, brownies, lollipops, and shakes can look like a treat to a child. Keep all cannabis products away from children. If you think your child ate/drank cannabis, get medical help right away.
Be careful about safely storing and using cannabis in front of children.
- Store all cannabis products in a locked area and in child-resistant packaging.
- Make certain a child cannot see or reach the locked area.
- Don’t eat or smoke cannabis products in front of a child.
- Avoid using cannabis while caring for a child.
No. Driving while experiencing the psychoactive and intoxicating effects of cannabis containing THC is extremely dangerous. Even if you don’t feel high, using cannabis:
- Slows down reaction time and thinking skills.
- Makes it harder to judge distances.
Although the effects of intoxication from cannabis that contains THC may wear off, cannabis stays in your system for some time. It is recommended that individuals who use cannabis refrain from driving (or operating other machinery or mobility devices) for at least 6 hours after using cannabis. If tested, you could test positive for cannabis content in your body. There are strict penalties for driving and cannabis in Ontario. For more information please visit the Ministry of Transportation website here. Also be aware that combining alcohol and cannabis can elevate the felt effects and cause severe impairment.
There is no known safe amount of cannabis to use during pregnancy or when breastfeeding. Cannabis use during pregnancy has been linked to low birth weight, and can harm a child’s brain development. Cannabis passes into the breast milk. It can be stored in your baby’s fat cells and brain for weeks. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not consume cannabis, as it could harm the fetus or baby.
Second-hand cannabis smoke can be harmful, especially to children. It is safest not to smoke or vapourize cannabis at home or in a car.
Although cannabis is a natural plant, it doesn’t make it safe when parenting. Be sure that there is always someone available who is not high to take care of your child. To learn more about parenting while using cannabis click here.
Like other medication:
- keep cannabis products out of reach of children
- in child-proof containers
- clearly labelled
- don’t consume the drug in front of kids
Unintentional ingestion can cause overdose symptoms like severe drowsiness and breathing problems. If this happens, your child needs urgent medical care by calling 911 and may need to be hospitalized.
START LOW and GO SLOW…
- Always start with a very small amount: 1 inhalation, a very small amount ingested (1/4 of brownie) or 0.25 ml of CBD oil.
- Wait at least 15 minutes before inhaling again, 2 hour before ingesting any more to determine a product’s full effect.
- The effects of cannabis vary from person to person and will also depend on the type of product and method used for consumption, along with other personal factors that can include genetics, existing mental health conditions, current mood, weith, age, personality, gender and whether cannabis has been consumed often enough to develop a tolerance.
- If you’re new to consuming cannabis or looking for a milder psychoactive effect, choose products with lower THC potency or cannabis products that contain higher CBD.
- If you prefer to avoid any potential for intoxication, opt for 100% CBD products.
Find more in this article of How Much CBD Should I Take The First Time
Some signs to look out for:
- Spends less time with friends and family, or has a recent change in friends
- Seems moodier
- Skips classes or his grades are slipping
- Loses interest in hobbies/sports
- Has red or glassy eyes, at times
- Smells like marijuana (skunky)
- Owns pipes, bongs, rolling papers, etc.
- Suffers regular injuries
This always depends on how much you consume, how you consume it and your genetics, age, personality, gender and other personal biological factors.
Effects can take up to 24 hours to fully dissipate, but THC can be detectable in the bloodstream for up to seven days or more, depending on several factors, including frequency of use.
There are few reports of secondary intoxication (i.e. from second hand smoke or vape), but it also depends on a number of factors, including dose and ventilation of the space.
30 grams (about one once) of dried equivalent in public and no limit in private dwelling. The penalty for possession more than 30 under 50 grams is $200 fine, equivalent to traffic infraction.
One (1) gram of dried cannabis is equivalent to:
- 5 g of fresh cannabis,
- 15 g of edible product,
- 70 g of liquid product,
- 6 ml of oil , or
- 1 cannabis plant seed.
You are able to grow up to 4 plants per residence (not for person) for personal use and not for sell.
According to the Cannabis Act, even parents or guardians can face significant legal consequences for distributing cannabis to a minor at home, including up to a 14-year prison penalty. The rules and penalties for distributing cannabis to minors are different than those set for alcohol distribution to minors.
Currently only permits the purchase of:
- cannabis oil
- fresh cannabis
- dried cannabis
- cannabis plant seeds
- cannabis plants
The sale of edibles containing cannabis and cannabis concentrates would be permitted not until next legislation within 1 year after date of Cannabis Act.
Cannabinoids (e.g., THC and CBD) are the chemical compounds secreted by cannabis plants called trichomes. Trichomes are tiny, clear hairs that stick out from the flowers and leaves of the plant. There are 100 types of cannabinoids, many of which provide relief to a variety of symptoms.
Cannabinoids have effects on cell receptors in the brain and body. They can change how those cells behave and communicate with each other.These work their medicinal magic by imitating compounds our bodies naturally produce, called endocannabinoids, which activate to maintain internal stability and health.
A variety of products and strains have been developed to deliver larger doses of different cannabinoids, so knowing which types best treat your symptoms will be helpful.
Terpenes are chemicals made and stored in the trichomes of the cannabis plant, with the cannabinoids. Terpenes give cannabis its distinctive smell.
- Don’t panic.
- Let your child know that you care and that you want to make sure that they have correct and up-to-date information about the risks of using cannabis and the problems it can cause.
- Have an open discussion about the risks of cannabis on their developing brain.
- Make sure they understand the dangers of driving after or while smoking cannabis.
- A health professional like your family doctor or paediatrician can help as well. The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends that young people under the age of 25 do not use cannabis.
Cannabis refers to the plant Cannabis sativa. The cannabis plant originally comes from Asia. It is now grown around the world, including in Canada.
The cannabis plant is used for its effects on the mind. It is also used for medical, social or religious purposes. Marijuana is a slang term for the dried flowers, leaves, stems and seeds of the cannabis plant.
Most cannabis products come from or can be made using the flowers and leaves of the cannabis plant. Depending on how they are made, these products can have a range of potencies of THC (and CBD).
Hemp and marijuana are both from the plant species Cannabis sativa. They contain a different genetic makeup however that makes them a “different version” of the same plant.
In early history, cannabis was cultivated to make food, oils, and fibers such as rope and fabric. Throughout the years, these plants were bred with other plants with similar characteristics, resulting what we now refer to as hemp.
Then there were other similar plants that were recognized for their psychoactive properties. These plants were used mainly for medical and spiritual or religious purposes, manipulated and bred throughout time to come to what we now refer to as marijuana.
Cannabis contains a variety of different compounds called Cannabinoids, two of rich, and the most dominant are Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD).
Both Cannabinoids have shown to provide profound benefits to the human body; however, THC induces psychoactive effects (gets you “high”), while CBD does not contain any psychoactive properties.
Hemp and marijuana also both contain the cannabinoid CBD. And while hemp plants generally contain higher amounts of CBD and less than 0.3% of THC, hemp isn’t considered a medicinal plant like marijuana. The CBD found in hemp isn’t medically beneficial like the CBD found in high-CBD cannabis strains.
Same plant. Different genetics. One is used for medical and recreational. The other is used for food, fuel and fiber.
It’s illegal to take cannabis across the Canadian border, whether you’re coming into Canada, or leaving. This applies to all countries, whether cannabis is legal there or not.
This prohibition applies:
- even if you are authorized to use cannabis for medical purposes
- no matter how much cannabis you have with you
- even if you are travelling to or from an area where cannabis has been legalized or decriminalized
If you are entering Canada and you have cannabis with you in any form, you must declare it to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
Not declaring cannabis in your possession at the Canadian border is a serious criminal offence. You could face arrest and prosecution.
When you are travelling within Canada, it is your responsibility to learn the laws of the province or territory you are going to. If you use cannabis, follow the laws in that jurisdiction.
Canadians travelling to the U.S. for reasons related to the cannabis industry may be deemed inadmissible.
As a traveller, it is your responsibility to be informed about the laws of the country you intend to visit. This includes the legal status of cannabis use and possession in any country you may travel to.
You must be 19 and older to buy, use, possess and grow recreational cannabis. This is the same as the minimum age for the sale of tobacco and alcohol in Ontario
In Ontario, if you are 19 or over, you can purchase cannabis online through the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS.ca) or in-person at a privately run authorized retailer.
Other provinces at regulated retailer or when not available from Federally licensed producer.
The only way to purchase medical cannabis is from:
- a federally licensed producer online
- by written order
- over the phone and delivered by secure mail
You are permitted to purchase up to 30 grams (about one ounce) of dried recreational cannabis at one time for personal use.
If you buy cannabis from anywhere else, you could be subject to a fine of up to $100,000 and/or imprisoned for up to one year.
