Amend the Cannabis Act

AI summary

Petitioners ask Government to amend the Cannabis Act: revoke licences emitting odour, raise possession age to 25, ban edibles, and adopt Review targets and warnings. The government responds that regulations and enforcement address these matters.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the House of Commons An Evidence Brief in Public Health Ontario in April 2018 stated that, “exposure to cannabis odours has been reported to result in headaches, eye and throat irritation, nausea and discomfort”; The U.S.Centres for Disease control and Prevention stated that, “Developing brains, such as those in babies, children and teenagers are especially susceptible to the harmful effects of cannabis and THC because the brain is continuing to develop until around age 25”; The Legislative Review of the Cannabis Act (March 2024) stated that, “Canada continues to report among the highest rates of youth cannabis use in the world, and cannabis use among young adults has increased [...] surveys now suggest that more than 4 in 10 Canadians aged between 20 and 24 report using cannabis in the past year”; The Legislative Review also states that, “Further, increasing reports of poisonings among children who have unintentionally consumed cannabis are troubling”; and Public Health stakeholders are “citing concerns about the potential impact on child poisonings, cannabis-related emergency room visits and mental health impacts”. We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to: 1. Remove the licence of cannabis producers that allow the escape of cannabis odours; 2. Raise the minimum age of possession of cannabis to 25 years; 3. Not allow the production of cannabis in the edible form; and 4. Act on the Recommendations of the Review of the Cannabis Act by “setting and monitoring targets for reducing youth and young adult cannabis use” and “reinstating health warning messages that pertain to serious cannabis-related mental health risks, including psychosis and schizophrenia”.

Government response

Response by the Minister of Health Signed by Maggie Chi Under the legal framework of the Cannabis Act, provinces and territories have flexibility to tailor certain rules in their jurisdiction and are responsible for oversight of certain aspects of the legal cannabis industry including but not limited to: Flexibility to establish more stringent controls on access (e.g., increase minimum age beyond 18); Authority to enact additional rules to protect public health and safety; and, Licence and oversee distribution and retail sales, subject to federal conditions. In Canada, cannabis is legal for adults under the Cannabis Act and is available in several regulated forms, including dried cannabis, fresh cannabis, cannabis oil, cannabis extracts, cannabis topicals, cannabis edibles, and cannabis plants and seeds. Legal cannabis products must be purchased from authorized retailers and are subject to strict federal regulations regarding production, packaging, labeling, and quality control. Cannabis products must be sold in child-resistant packaging and display standardized health warnings. Under the Cannabis Regulations, holders of a Health Canada commercial licence to cultivate, process or sell cannabis must meet strict requirements in order to be licensed. These include requirements for physical security, and adherence to Good Production Practices. For example, licence holders must ensure all buildings or parts of buildings where cannabis is produced, packaged, labelled and stored need to be equipped with a system that filters air to prevent the escape of odours. The intent of this requirement is to prevent the presence of strong odours near buildings where cannabis is present. Additionally, before submitting an application to Health Canada, applicants for licences to cultivate cannabis must provide written notice to local authorities in the area of the proposed site. Once licensed, all licensed cultivators and processors are expected to obey all relevant federal, provincial, and municipal laws and by-laws, including municipal by-laws governing zoning, location, odour and noise. Provinces and territories and municipalities can implement any limitations on zoning, location, or other controls that they feel are appropriate in their jurisdictions. If any individual has a concern about odour, they are encouraged to contact the cannabis licence holder directly. In addition to contacting the licence holder, individuals may contact their local government. They may have laws or bylaws in place or may work with law enforcement as required. Additionally, an individual may contact Health Canada regarding odour concerns. When Health Canada receives a complaint about cannabis odour, all information is reviewed to determine whether the submission is within Health Canada’s regulatory authority. If the matter falls within the federal framework, it will be assessed and prioritized for action according to public health and safety risk. Health Canada assesses complaints and potential instances of non-compliance on a case-by-case basis and takes appropriate compliance and enforcement action where warranted based on the level of risk and available evidence. For more information on Health Canada’s risk-based compliance and enforcement policy, please see Compliance and enforcement policy for the Cannabis Act. Individuals can contact Health Canada in writing by using the Cannabis Reporting Form found here. In March 2024, following an 18-month comprehensive legislative review of the Cannabis Act, an independent Expert Panel tabled a report in Parliament with 54 recommendations that aim to strengthen the administration of the Cannabis Act. The legislative review affirmed that the cannabis framework has contributed to progress toward key objectives (e.g., displacing the illegal market, while not leading to an increase in rates of use among youth) but that concerted effort and attention to some specific areas is required. Health Canada, in collaboration with other implicated departments and partners, including the Provinces and Territories, is working to implement the Expert Panel’s recommendations by considering them in the development of future policy and programs. Since 2018, the Government of Canada has implemented a robust public health approach to keeping cannabis out of the hands of youth and ensuring adults have access to a quality-controlled and regulated supply, while reducing the illicit market. The Government continues to regularly communicate with Canadians about the health risks associated with cannabis and its use. Key areas of progress in addressing the Expert Panel recommendations include updating and delivering public education materials on the risks associated with cannabis and revising the Health Warning Messages. For example, in March 2025, the Department updated its Cannabis Health Warning Messages to help inform Canadians about the risks associated with cannabis use, including messages on the risks associated with cannabis use in youth. Health Warning Messages are required on all products, including messages on risks of higher potency products, including anxiety, paranoia, psychosis, addiction or dependence, or more general adverse effects. Health Canada has collaborated with provinces and territories throughout 2025 to expand a "safe-storage" campaign designed to reduce the risk of accidental pediatric exposures to cannabis. The Department also continues to update cannabis public education programs, such as Get the Facts, Pursue Your Passion, and All About Cannabis, to educate youth and young adults on the risks associated with cannabis use. The Cannabis Act aims to protect youth from the risks of cannabis, including restricting promotion; prohibiting products and packaging appealing to youth; and setting THC limits. Health Canada measures rates and patterns of cannabis use and conducts research on new and emerging risks related to cannabis. Among youth, most surveys indicate cannabis use has remained stable since legalization. Health Canada relies on both regulatory and non-regulatory tools to discourage youth cannabis use.