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ARTICLE · 02 MAY 2017

Federal Cannabis Legislation: Five Key Considerations For Employers

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
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On April 13, 2017, the federal government introduced the Cannabis Act (Act), which will legalize and regulate the use of cannabis for recreational purposes in Canada.

CanadaEmployment and HR
Daryl Cukierman
Daryl Cukierman
Michael Howcroft
Michael Howcroft
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On April 13, 2017, the federal government introduced the Cannabis Act (Act), which will legalize and regulate the use of cannabis for recreational purposes in Canada (see our April 2017 Blakes Bulletin: Federal Government Introduces Cannabis Legislation). The Act received first reading on April 13, 2017 and, if passed, is expected to take effect on or before July 2018.

The legalization and regulation of recreational cannabis is anticipated to impact employers in a number of key areas. This Blakes Bulletin highlights five key areas that employers should consider in anticipation of the new legislation.

1. PROACTIVE COMMUNICATION AND POLICY UPDATES

Prior to the Act coming into force, employer expectations about the relationship between cannabis use and the workplace should be clearly communicated to employees and updates to workplace policies may be required. Societal attitudes towards the recreational use of cannabis can be expected to shift in response to the

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