# Legalization of Marijuana in Canada Legalization of Marijuana in Canada refers to the October 17, 2018 passage of Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, which made Canada the second country and first major economy to legalize recreational cannabis. The moment lit up Reddit, Twitter and late night feeds with victory memes, Snoop Dogg edits and jokes that the war on drugs finally had a loser. ## Origin On October 17, 2018, after roughly 95 years of prohibition, the Canadian government under prime minister Justin Trudeau brought Bill C-45, better known as the Cannabis Act, into force, making Canada the second country in the world to legalize recreational cannabis nationally[1]. Trudeau also announced a pardon process for people previously sentenced for simple possession of under 30 grams, which fed directly into the online 'war is over' framing[3]. Adult Canadians could now buy cannabis and grow a small number of plants at home for personal use, though each province was allowed to layer its own rules on top of the federal law[2]. Alberta took a liberal stance overall, but Calgary banned recreational use in public spaces, with a $100 ticket for violators[2]. - **Platform:** News event / Reddit and Twitter (viral spread) - **Creator:** Unknown - **Date:** 2018 ## Overview The meme wave around Legalization of Marijuana in Canada ran on a simple joke: a G7 country had just handed prohibition a loss on live TV. Reddit threads filled with image macros framing October 17 as a formal surrender in the war on drugs, and Snoop Dogg edits with rhymed captions like 'Twas the nizzle before Legalizashizzle' became a template for the day[5]. The humor mixed national pride, stoner in jokes and South Park callbacks, with Terrance and Philip resurfacing as unofficial mascots of the moment[6]. Celebrities piled on too, most visibly Canadian born actor Seth Rogen, whose short 'Canada, I love you' tweet racked up thousands of retweets within a day[7]. Alongside the jokes, mainstream outlets from CNN to the New York Times and Washington Post covered the rollout, giving the memes constant fresh material to riff on[2][8]. ## How It Spread The memes moved fastest on Reddit. On r/funny, a post reading 'Congratulations to drugs for winning the war on drugs' cleared 84,000 points and 1,600 comments[4]. The Snoop Dogg 'Legalizashizzle' image on r/fakehistoryporn pulled more than 10,000 points, and a Terrance and Philip post titled 'Oh Canada' hit around 33,000 points and 870 comments within 24 hours[6]. On Twitter, Seth Rogen's short message calling himself 'one of your smiling citizens' collected more than 3,100 retweets and 31,000 likes in the first day[7]. Polling helped explain why the jokes travelled so easily, a Dalhousie University survey put support for legalization at 68 percent of Canadians, so the memes were preaching to a majority audience[3]. The story then jumped from meme feeds into business and travel coverage. Pot stocks rallied as US outlets picked up the news[9], while CNN warned tourists that carrying Canadian cannabis across the border, even into US states where weed was legal, was still a federal crime[2]. Signs at Vancouver International Airport spelled out the same warning to departing travellers[2]. ## How to Use The format is a victory lap. People typically pair the October 17, 2018 date, a Canadian flag or a maple leaf with a stoner icon, often Snoop Dogg, Trailer Park Boys or Terrance and Philip, and a caption that treats the day as the end of the war on drugs. Common variations swap in current news about US state legalization to argue Canada got there first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Legalization of Marijuana in Canada? It refers to Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, which took effect on October 17, 2018 and legalized recreational cannabis across Canada[1]. ### Where did Legalization of Marijuana in Canada come from? It came from a federal law passed under prime minister Justin Trudeau, ending about 95 years of prohibition[1]. ### What does Legalization of Marijuana in Canada mean? It means adult Canadians can legally buy, use and grow limited amounts of cannabis, with provinces adding their own rules on top of the federal law[2]. ### How do you use Legalization of Marijuana in Canada? Online, people use it as a victory meme, sharing images that frame October 17, 2018 as the day the war on drugs was lost, often with Snoop Dogg or South Park's Terrance and Philip[5][6]. ### Is Legalization of Marijuana in Canada still popular? The law is still in force and the memes still circulate each October 17 as an anniversary reference, though the peak moment was the 2018 rollout[3]. ## References 1. [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/17/world/canada/marijuana-legal-canada.html]() 2. [https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/traveling-with-marijuana-in-canada/index.html]() 3. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/legalization-of-marijuana-in-canada]() 4. [https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/]() 5. [https://www.reddit.com/r/fakehistoryporn/]() 6. [https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/]() 7. [https://twitter.com/Sethrogen]() 8. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/]() 9. [https://www.usatoday.com/]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/legalization-of-marijuana-in-canada Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library