Young adults in Quebec who have become accustomed to visiting the province’s legal retail stores for their cannabis will soon no longer be allowed to do so.

Until now, the legal age to purchase marijuana in Quebec was 18 but as of January 1, 2020, Quebecers will have to wait until they turn 21. The new law makes Quebec the province with the highest legal age for cannabis consumption. The legal age for consumption across most of Canada is 19 with the exception of Alberta which has a legal age of 18.  

Be careful what you wish for, especially when placing an order for weed online. Returning it can be a challenge, with policies varying from province to province.

Here’s what the shipping and return policies look like across the country.

British Columbia 

Bought a product that’s defective, shipped in error or recalled? The BC Cannabis Stores will take them back, but returns must be initiated within 15 days of the purchase.

October 17, 2019, marks the first anniversary of the legalization of cannabis federally in Canada, and the date when the second phase of products — edibles, extracts, topicals and some other alternative cannabis products also become legal. 

Each province and territory were handed the reins for rolling out legalization, and the results in terms of access to legal marijuana are very different for Canadians depending on where they live. This has also had an impact on consumption patterns.

One year into the legalization of marijuana, the SQDC plans to reduce prices, eliminate lineups, bring in cannabis drinks and continue to take business away from the black market.

The head of the Société québécoise du cannabis gave a sit-down interview to the Gazette to mark the first anniversary of legalized cannabis in Canada on Thursday. SQDC president and director Jean-François Bergeron said ending the lineups at its busiest store, in downtown Montreal, is a top priority.

“Queues are not good. Good stores run without queues. We have worked a lot to get rid of these queues; they’re not good for our image.”

New regulations for cannabis edibles and topicals come into effect on Oct. 17, with products expected to reach store shelves in December

Here’s what consumers and parents need to know

“Edibles” is the umbrella term for cannabis-infused products, which can include beverages, cotton candy, dissolvable strips, gummy candies or baked goods. And topicals are products which can include lotions, balms, and oils absorbed through the skin for relief of pain or inflammation, according to Leafly.

Cannabis has been legal for a year, but 82 per cent of what Quebecers smoked still came from the black market. Why were people going underground when they had a perfectly legal option?

To find out, the Montreal Gazette spoke to four everyday pot smokers who buy on the sly. They listed fast home delivery, no lineups, anonymity and better prices among their reasons for taking the illegal route.

Approximately 150 tons of cannabis was consumed in Quebec in 2017, according to SQDC president and director Jean-François Bergeron in a speech last week. Yet in its first year of operations, the Société québécoise du Cannabis has sold just 27 tons.

As the one-year anniversary of the legalization of recreational cannabis approaches, an industry expert says the Prairie provinces are outpacing larger players Ontario and Quebec in the Canadian market with a smoother rollout and stronger sales.

"Manitoba and Saskatchewan are making Ontario and Quebec look very bad," said Chris Damas, editor of BCMI Cannabis Report, a newsletter for cannabis investors in Canada and the U.S.

In the two largest provinces, Damas said poor regulatory frameworks and slow-to-open stores meant the industry underperformed in its first year. He praised the framework in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan for allowing private retailers to sell product and opening the door to e-commerce.

The Quebec government says it will appeal a decision invalidating parts of Quebec's cannabis law that prohibited home cultivation.

On Sept. 3, Quebec Superior Court Justice Manon Lavoie ruled Quebec's legislation infringed upon the jurisdiction of the federal government, which has sole responsibility for legislating on criminal matters.

The judge ruled unconstitutional the sections of the Quebec Cannabis Regulation Act prohibiting the possession and the cultivation for personal purposes of cannabis plants.

Federal law allows Canadian citizens to grow up to four cannabis plants at home, but Quebec chose in June 2018 to legislate against home cultivation.

Cannabis company Hexo Corp. says its chief financial officer has resigned, effective today, after taking on the role in May.

Hexo CFO Michael Monahan says in a release that he has decided to resign because the job requires him to spend the majority of his time in Gatineau, Que., and in Ottawa, which is not possible “given my family's needs.”

He adds in a statement that he has had a “very rewarding time” at Hexo and will assist the company as a consultant to ensure a smooth transition. Hexo's CEO announced that its vice-president of strategic finance, Stephen Burwash, has accepted the role of CFO.