Canada has become the world’s second country to legalise the possession and recreational use cannabis.
Whilst medical marijuana has been legal in the country since 2001, Justin Trudeau’s government have been working towards this including recreational marijuana.
According to an Associated Press survey of the province, 111 legal cannabis shops are planning to open across the country on the first day of legalisation.
The first country to legalise marijuana was Uruguay in 2013.
It will be illegal to possess over 30 grams in public, grow more than four plants per household and to buy from an unlicensed dealer.
In 2015, Canadians were estimated to have spent about C$6 billion (£3.4 billion) on cannabis – this al almost as much as was spent on wine.
Tom Clarke, 43, opened his shop in Canada at midnight to start selling cannabis as soon as possible.
“I am living my dream. Teenage Tom Clarke is loving what I am doing with my life right now,” he said.
The Canadian Medical Association Journal published an editorial on Monday, which called legalisation “a national, uncontrolled experiment in which the profits of cannabis producers and tax revenues are squarely pitched against the health of Canadians”.
Trudeau said: “We’re not legalising cannabis because we think it’s good for our health. We’re doing it because we know it’s not good for our children.”
“We know we need to do a better job to protect our children and to eliminate or massively reduce the profits that go to organized crime,” he added on the eve of the reform.
A senior government official said that people with a record will be allowed to apply for a pardon.
