Rules and laws

The legal age to purchase, possess, cultivate, or consume cannabis is 19 years. Cannabis NB stores and Cannabis NB approved retailers are the only legal retailers.

The stores are restricted to people 19 and older and can only sell up to 30 grams of cannabis (or equivalent) to each customer. 

Other than Cannabis NB approved retailers, all other dispensaries are illegal in New Brunswick. 

Know what to look for: 

Legal retailers

• Age verification is mandatory.
• All cannabis products sold have: the standard cannabis symbol;
• mandatory health warnings;
• plain, child-resistant packaging; and
• an excise stamp, which is a standard maple symbol, coloured differently for each province and territory. The excise stamp is your guarantee that the product is produced according to the highest health and safety standards, reflects accurate THC levels, and is free from other substances that could cause serious harm.
• Major credit cards and debit are the only form of payment accepted when you make your purchase through an online retailer.

Illegal retailers

• No age verification
• Offers products in appealing packaging or products (i.e. may mimic popular candy)
• Payment is requested by e-transfer or in a cryptocurrency
• Shipping is available anywhere in Canada
• Uses a generic email address (i.e., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) 

New Brunswickers 19 years or older can grow up to four (4) plants at their primary residence*. When grown indoors, these plants must be kept in a separate, locked space. When grown outdoors, they must be located behind a locked enclosure that is at least 1.52 metres high.  
 
Plants and/or seedlings need to come from Cannabis NB or a Cannabis NB approved retailers. 
 

*If you are a tenant, landlords can restrict growing cannabis in their properties. 

In New Brunswick, consuming cannabis in public is not permitted. Consumption of cannabis in any form is be prohibited anywhere but: 

• your home
• backyard / property
• an occupied campsite

If consuming cannabis in another residence, you must have the permission of the homeowner. 

There are no restrictions on how much cannabis a person can keep at home.

Smoke-free Places Act Information Line  

Questions and complaints involving smoking or vaping tobacco, cannabis or other substances in a designated smoke-free area can be directed to the Smoke-free Places Act Information Line. 

The Smoke-free Places Act Information Line toll-free number is 1-866-234-4234.

Landlords can restrict smoking and growing cannabis in their properties but not overall cannabis consumption.  
 
If a landlord has units where smoking is permitted, they cannot restrict the smoking of cannabis. Medical cannabis consumers are still restricted by the leases they sign. Cannabis will come in many forms and landlords will not be able to ban other forms of cannabis consumption. 
 
The Residential Tenancies Tribunal recommends that landlords outline their expectations in their leases and that tenants are informed about their rights and responsibilities. Unless a lease says specifically that smoking, or cultivation of cannabis is prohibited, then once legal, it will be permitted in rental units.

Like alcohol, cannabis can cause impairment. And it is illegal to drive while impaired. Cannabis use of any kind in or on a vehicle (moving or not) on a roadway or on a managed trail is prohibited.  
 
This also applies to: 

• motorcycles
• farm tractors
• off-road vehicles 
• snowmobiles 

In addition to criminal charges, sanctions for drug impaired driving include:  

• license suspension
• vehicle impoundment

New drivers in the graduated licensing program and all drivers under 21 years of age must have zero level of drugs in their system.

The legislative framework was introduced in November 2017. The framework in place focuses on providing safe, legal access to cannabis in a responsible manner, while ensuring New Brunswick is taking advantage of the full range of economic opportunity this industry provides. 
 

The framework includes: 

• The Cannabis Management Corporation Act establishes in legislation the Cannabis Management Corporation, a Crown corporation charged with the oversight, organization, conduct, management and control of the retail sales of cannabis.
• The Cannabis Control Act controls the consumption and practice of cannabis. It establishes the legal age for the purchase, consumption and cultivation of cannabis at 19 and outlines general restrictions on consumption and possession.
• The Cannabis Education and Awareness Fund Act establishes a fund to support research and the development, implementation and delivery of education and awareness programs for harm reduction and the responsible practice of cannabis consumption.
• Amendments to the New Brunswick Liquor Corporation Act allows NB Liquor to operate cannabis retail operations through a subsidiary, Cannabis NB. 
• Amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act establishes a drug-impaired driving program.

Other related Acts and Regulations: 

• The Smoke Free Places Act protects people in New Brunswick from exposure to second-hand smoke and helps create a smoke-free culture in the province. This legislation prohibits smoking (including cannabis) in indoor and outdoor public places, indoor workplaces, public vehicles, and other vehicles with specific passengers (i.e., a person under the age of 16 years). 
• All retailers in NB must comply with the Cannabis Retailers Licensing Act .