Cannabis Possession Limit Canada: What You’re Actually Allowed to Carry
Key takeaways
- The public possession limit for dried cannabis in Canada is 30 grams per adult.
- Other forms like edibles, oils, and concentrates have their own equivalent amounts that count toward that same limit.
- At home, the rules are different: most provinces set no cap on what you’ve bought legally and stored there. Quebec is the exception, at 150 grams per household.
- Buying in bulk is totally fine as long as you’re storing it at home, not carrying it all around with you.
- Equivalent amounts for non-dried products are set by a conversion formula, not just weight on a scale.
The cannabis possession limit Canada has set for adults in public is 30 grams of dried flower. That’s roughly an ounce. Other product types, edibles, oils, concentrates, count toward that same limit using an equivalency formula, not straight weight.
The 30-gram rule explained simply
Thirty grams is what you’re allowed to have on you in a public place. Walking around with your bag, heading to a friend’s place, sitting in a park, that’s the number that applies.
It’s about dried cannabis specifically, but because people carry a lot more than just flower these days, there’s a conversion system for everything else. You don’t get a separate allowance for your gummies on top of your flower. It all counts together toward the same 30 grams.
If you want more background on how these rules came to exist, How Cannabis Was Legalised in Canada gives a solid plain-English rundown.
Cannabis possession limit Canada: how other products convert
Here’s where a lot of people get confused. The 30 grams applies to dried cannabis, but you can’t just carry 30 grams of edibles or 30 grams of oil, those are way more potent by weight. So there’s an equivalency built in.
| Product type | Equivalent to 1 gram of dried cannabis |
|---|---|
| Fresh cannabis (flower, bud not yet dried) | 5 grams |
| Solid edibles (gummies, chocolates, etc.) | 15 grams |
| Liquid products (drinks, oils) | 70 millilitres |
| Concentrates (solid, like shatter or wax) | 0.25 grams |
| Concentrates (liquid) | 0.25 grams |
| Seeds | 1 seed per 1 gram |
So if you’re carrying 30 grams of dried flower, that’s your full allowance and you’ve got nothing left for anything else. If you’re only carrying edibles, you could have up to 450 grams of solid edibles before you hit the equivalent of 30 grams dried. Most people aren’t carrying anywhere near that, but it’s useful to know the math works in your favour with edibles.
Tip: If you’re carrying a mix of products, add up each one’s dried-cannabis equivalent. The combined total is what can’t exceed 30 grams.
What about at home?
Different story altogether. In most provinces there’s no cap on how much legally bought cannabis you can keep at your own home. Quebec is the exception, at 150 grams per household. So if you bought a big bag of Bulk Flower to save money, you can keep all of it in your place. The 30-gram rule is specifically about what you carry out in public.
This is where buying smart actually pays off. Stocking up at home is completely fine. You just can’t take it all with you at once.
A quick worked example
Say you’re heading out and you’ve got:
- 7 grams of dried flower in your bag
- A couple of gummies totalling 60 grams
- 1 gram of concentrate (solid)
Here’s how that adds up against the 30-gram limit:
- 7 grams dried = 7 grams equivalent
- 60 grams of solid edibles ÷ 15 = 4 grams equivalent
- 1 gram solid concentrate ÷ 0.25 = 4 grams equivalent
Total: 15 grams equivalent. You’re well under the limit. No issue.
Buying bulk is fine, just keep it at home
A lot of people hesitate to buy an ounce or more at once because they’re not sure if it’s allowed. It is. Buying a larger amount to store at home is normal and smart. You pay less per gram, you don’t run out mid-week, and you’re not doing anything wrong.
The only thing that matters is what you’ve got on you in public. Keep your stash at home, carry a reasonable amount when you go out, and you’re good.
If you’re stocking up, our Value Flower (AA) section is worth checking out, solid everyday bud that’s easy on the wallet for exactly this kind of home stash situation.
For a fuller look at the rules around possession, sharing, home growing, and more, Cannabis Laws in Canada: What Adults Should Know covers it all in one place.
A few things people get wrong
Myth: “The 30-gram limit applies to what I have at home.” It doesn’t. That limit is for public spaces only. At home, most provinces set no cap at all. Quebec is the exception, at 150 grams per household.
Myth: “Edibles and flower have separate allowances.” They don’t. Everything you’re carrying counts toward the same 30-gram dried equivalent total.
It’s also worth knowing that the rules can vary a bit by province on top of the federal baseline, BC follows the federal rules, but some provinces have added their own wrinkles. The Canada.ca website has the official breakdown if you want to confirm the details for your specific situation.
Frequently asked questions
Can I carry 30 grams of weed and also bring edibles?
Not on top of each other. The 30-gram dried equivalent is the total for everything combined. If you’re already at 30 grams of dried flower, you’ve used your full allowance. Mix and match, but keep the combined equivalent under 30 grams.
Is there a limit on how much I can have at home?
In most provinces, no. Quebec is the exception, at 150 grams per household. The 30-gram possession limit only applies to what you carry in public.
Does the limit apply to CBD products too?
CBD products that fall under cannabis regulations count the same way as any other cannabis product. The equivalency rules apply based on what the product is, not whether it’s THC or CBD.
What counts as “public”?
Generally, anywhere outside your private home, a street, a park, a car, a friend’s place. The 30-gram rule applies any time you’re transporting or carrying cannabis outside your own home.
Can I travel with cannabis within BC?
You can carry up to 30 grams (dried equivalent) within Canada. You cannot travel across international borders with cannabis under any circumstances.
Does buying an ounce at once mean I’m breaking the law?
No. Buying an ounce or more to keep at home is perfectly fine. The possession limit is about what’s on you in public, not what you’ve bought or stored at your place.
