The legalization of cannabis in the US and Canada has been a matter of debate. This issue has produced different results, with Canada being the first to legalize cannabis on a legal basis. The United States still has three remaining states that consider the use of cannabis for any purpose, even illegal. Cannabis may bring positive outcomes in the applications for medical and health purposes. However, cannabis is still a bottom-line in its differences in the legality of cannabis in Canada and the U.S.

Brief History of Legalization of Cannabis in Canada and the US
In the United States, various laws regarding the legal use of cannabis were enacted. The first state to legalize medical marijuana for use by patients with chronic illnesses was California through the Compassionate Use Act of 1996.

Other states followed the action of California. In the 1990s, Washington D.C., Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Maine legalized medical marijuana use. More states followed through during the early 2000s. These include Montana, Nevada, Hawaii, Vermont, New Mexico, and Rhode Island.

On the other hand, Canada was the first country to nationalize the legal recreational use of cannabis in October 2018.

“Legalization of cannabis is the largest public policy shift this country has experienced in the past five decades,” said Mike Farnworth, British Columbia’s minister of public safety, as reported in the New York Times.

“It’s an octopus with many tentacles, and there are many unknowns,” he added. “I don’t think that when the federal government decided to legalize marijuana it thought through all of the implications.”

Canada’s Federal Cannabis Act allows adults to carry and share with other adults to a maximum of 30 grams of dried cannabis. The Act also permits a maximum of four homegrown marijuana plants per household in most provinces.

Canada has allowed the use of medical marijuana since 2001. This country has permitted approximately 330,000 registered Canadians to receive this from licensed producers.

The law permits cannabis oil, fresh or dried marijuana flowers, and pre-rolled joints in 2018. Canada allows the legalization of cannabis edibles such as pot-infused peanut butter, jelly beans, and coffee since 2019.

Effects Of Cannabis Use in Canada and the US
Smoking, vaporizing, or dabbing cannabis results in effects that are felt within seconds to minutes and can last up to 24 hours.

Drinking or eating cannabis can result in an immediate effect felt within 30 minutes to 2 hours and which can last up to 24 hours.

There are short-term health effects of cannabis use. The use of the flowers and leaves of the cannabis plant can result in feelings of euphoria, relaxation, and heightened sensory experiences. However, these can also result in negative, unwanted, and unpleasant experiences on the brain and body. It can impair a person’s ability to react quickly, concentrate, remember, and result in confusion and fatigue. The use of cannabis can also result in hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia.

There are also long-term effects with cannabis use that develop gradually over time if there is daily use. These long-term effects can result in addiction and harm a person’s memory, intelligence, concentration, and ability to think and make decisions.

Cannabis Dispensaries In Canada And The US
There are various cannabis dispensaries in Canada and the US. Tilray is one of the medical cannabis manufacturers from Canada that announced the approval from the US federal government to import a cannabinoid product for a clinical trial in California, according to Investopedia. This Canadian company depends on the foreign market because it focuses on medical marijuana.

Canopy Growth is another major player in the cannabis industry in Canada. Its forward-thinking company leaders foresaw the trend and revealed that the DEA approved its shipment of legal, medical cannabis to a US research partner a week before the legalization of the use of cannabis.

Canopy Growth was the later name of Tweed Marijuana that was founded in 2013. As of April 2019, it was the most significant cannabis company globally and has a market cap of $5.3 billion as of May 8, 2020. Canopy Growth specializes in capsules, oil, and hemp-dried flowers.

There are also various cannabis dispensaries in the US. One of these is 1841 Camino that has the most extensive selections of edibles and shelf medications. Their employees make shopping in this area a great journey.

Barbary Coast not only boasts of a swank decor and heady menu. The cannabis menu items also cost less than $10. It is a recommended place to stay before a night out in San Francisco and is the model of what a future cannabis hub when cannabis use issues are finally settled with.

CannaCruz dispenses medical cannabis. Its employees follow protocols for safe access to clean medications. It has the ambiance of a surf shop that offers pre-rolls.

CBCB (Cannabis Buyers Club Berkeley) is a combination of a cannabis shop with a community feel. This recreational center also has chess boards, books, free fruit, and snacks. It boasts of an upbeat DJ spinning music and a fair-priced large menu. This CBCB is an excellent choice for medical cannabis use and then a relaxation period by playing chess with the locals.

Compassionate Heart Collective is a great place to see the outdoor scene in North California. Cannabis products are sold at reasonable prices.

Elemental Wellness is a combination of medical services. It is not only a medical dispensary, but it also offers yoga, acupuncture, and free massage. It also provides a customer-loyalty program for frequent purchases of loyal customers.

Conclusion
Cannabis use has been a heated political, economic, social, and health issue that has prodded Canada and the United States for many years. With the recent legalization of cannabis use at the national level in Canada and with just three remaining US states that still are not into legalizing any form of marijuana use, it can be seen that there has been a shift in the policies of each respective nation. The effects of cannabis use have been on the record.

However, there should still be restraint when it comes to using cannabis as a precaution, especially for recreational purposes.