With the passing of Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, by the Senate on June 19, 2018, Canada becomes the first Western country, and only the second country in the world, to legalize recreational marijuana.  The Bill itself still awaits the final step of Royal Assent to officially become the law of the land.  This is expected to occur within the next few days. Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the law will come into effect on October 17, 2018, allowing time for the provinces and territories to prepare for retail/online sales. In the meantime, Canadians in all jurisdictions are required to continue to follow the existing law and maintain the status quo.