Cannabis could well become a regular feature in Canadian workplaces in the near future. With this new world of legalization comes anxiety over inebriation and safety risks – with many leaders asking when they can drug test employees.

“I don’t think employers are aware of how likely it is they’ll be affected by the use of medical marijuana in Canadian workplaces,” explained Peter Straszynski, of Torkin Manes LLP.

“In many ways, I think their concerns are primarily, ‘what do we do when cannabis is legalized?’ and ‘how will that impact our workplace?’”

Prospective retailers undergo background checks, pay thousands in upfront costs — then wait.

If everything goes according to plan, Daryl Robinson will open his first retail cannabis store in Edmonton this summer.

Herbal Headquarters will sell edibles and oils, and a variety of cannabis products for treating pain. Robinson said his store on 124th Street and 103rd Avenue will be the first of five he expects to open within the next year in Alberta, if the federal government legalizes cannabis by the end of the summer.

First, he has to finish a lengthy cannabis licensing process with the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission.

'I have never seen a fight associated with cannabis,' says lawyer Peter Harte.

As N.W.T. draft legislation for the legalization of cannabis is under review, many have wondered how it will affect the criminal justice system and policing. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau renewed his promise Thursday that recreational cannabis use will be legal by summer. The N.W.T.'s Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Implementation Act, or Bill 6, is currently under review.

British Columbians are seeing the beginnings of a debate emerge in our province about the merits of cannabis cultivation on B.C.’s Agricultural Land Reserve, and a call to amend the current laws to bar cannabis producers from using the ALR.

The ALR was created to preserve arable farm land in B.C., and in 2015, the provincial government amended the ALR regulation to allow licensed medical-cannabis cultivation.

This was done after the Agricultural Land Commission concluded in 2014 that the production of licensed medical cannabis is consistent with the definition of “farm use” in the act. That means government thinks that cannabis farming is, in fact, farming and therefore just as suitable to cultivate the ALR as other farming operations.

Concerns about access voiced Saturday at 12th Global Marijuana Rally in Halifax.

A rally and march held in Halifax Saturday highlighted lingering questions for medical cannabis users once marijuana is legalized in Canada July 1, 2018.

Dozens of people attended the 12th Global Marijuana Rally and March at Victoria Park. It was organized by the Maritimers Unite for Medical Marijuana Society, a registered not-for-profit organization that advocates for patients who use cannabis for medication.

The number of Canadian veterans prescribed opioids or tranquilizers has declined significantly in the past six years while those authorized to use medical cannabis has skyrocketed, even as Veterans Affairs​ capped reimbursement for it.

Experts caution more in-depth research is needed but say these new data, released to The Globe and Mail by Veterans Affairs Canada, echo trends observed in U.S. states with legalized medical marijuana, where significant declines in opioid overdoses suggest that people may be substituting these oft-abused, addictive medicines with cannabis.

Perfect 'weed breathalyzer' may never come.

When it comes to drivers impaired by marijuana, there are still a lot of unanswered questions in B.C. — even with legalization still expected to take place this summer.

The tools, training and method of determining whether a driver is impaired by marijuana are still not certain.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said last week the province is still waiting for information from the federal government on those details, including what devices will be used as breathalyser equivalents during roadside stops.

"It's something we believe needs to be communicated to the provinces, like, ASAP," Farnworth said. "The feds have told us there is technology they are confident in, but we are yet to know exactly what it is."

The market for marijuana stocks has cooled off considerably since 2018 began, following a feverish rally that closed out 2017. For one, the date that many expect recreational marijuana will be sold through retail outlets has been pushed back by at least a month — if not longer. News like that will tend to dampen the mood somewhat — particularly in light of the euphoria that has surrounded this newly minted industry over the past two years. One thing is clear: the pot industry will be large and formidable. Estimates vary, but most agree that once the federal government has…

As marijuana legalization draws near and questions linger about what Canadians can expect at the U.S. border, the federal point-man on pot, Bill Blair, has some advice: Don’t lie.

This week, the Senate National Security and Defence Committee issued its report on the federal marijuana legalization legislation, Bill C-45. It offered several recommendations to the federal government relating to addressing Canada-U.S. border issues, including:

The company chosen to supply legal cannabis to Newfoundland and Labrador has chosen a site for its local production facility, with an announcement planned for today.

An information note for the St. John's city council's planning and development committee shows the site is 390 Eastland Drive in the White Hills area of the city.

A news conference is scheduled at that address for today with representatives of Canopy Growth and Christopher Mitchelmore, minister of Tourism, Culture and Innovation.

According to the city, the property is owned by Baine Johnson Properties and is zoned for light industrial use.

At a meeting in early April, the city agreed to remove open space restrictions at the north end of the property.