The B.C. government has begun overhauling its laws to make way for legalized recreational marijuana, setting new rules for retail stores and establishing a new penalty for drug-impaired driving.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth confirmed the age limit for buying recreational marijuana in B.C. will be 19, and the province’s Liquor Distribution Branch will control wholesale distribution of cannabis products for sale.
The province is also establishing a new impaired driving regulation, giving police authority to impose a 90-day driving suspension for drug-impaired driving. Technology for detecting drug impairment is moving quickly and the rules will be toughened in the future, Farnworth said.
“This marks a major milestone, and puts our province in position to not only be ready for federal cannabis regulation in late summer, but does so in a way that reflects the province’s goals for legalized cannabis that prioritize public health and safety, particularly for our children and youth,” Farnworth said.
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