Cannabis rules in Prince Edward Island
On Prince Edward Island you have to be 19 to buy, possess or grow cannabis, and you can't use it in public spaces. Consumption is limited to private dwellings, which on PEI include hotel rooms, campsites, tents and RVs where the operator allows it. Households can grow up to four plants, and the government's PEI Cannabis stores and website are the only legal place to buy.
What is the legal age for cannabis on PEI?
The legal age is 19, the same as for alcohol. If you're under 19 it's illegal to buy, possess, use or grow cannabis on the Island, and it's illegal to share cannabis with anyone under 19. PEI Cannabis stores follow a "Check 30" policy, asking for ID from anyone who looks under 30.
PEI's rules come from its Cannabis Control Act, layered on the federal Cannabis Act. This is general information; the law is what counts.
How much cannabis can you have on PEI?
Adults can carry up to 30 grams of dried cannabis or the equivalent in public, and can buy and transport 30 grams at a time. There's no limit on how much legally bought cannabis you can keep at home, apart from the plant limit. By law, cannabis at home must be stored safely away from children.
Where can you smoke weed on PEI?
It's illegal to use cannabis in public spaces on PEI. The Cannabis Control Act allows adults to consume only in a private dwelling, as the occupant or with the occupant's consent, or on vacant land with the occupant's consent, and never on vacant land the public pays to access. Restaurants and bars aren't designated for consumption.
The province defines a private dwelling broadly: a home, apartment, condo, hotel room or campsite, plus a balcony, deck or patio attached to the unit for the occupant's private use. Landlords, condo boards, hotels and campgrounds can still restrict or ban use on their property. An apartment or condo building can designate an outdoor smoking area, as long as it's at least 15 feet from any entrance or air intake.
| Place | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Your home and yard | Allowed |
| Someone else's home or vacant land | Allowed with the occupant's consent |
| Apartment or condo, including your private balcony | Allowed unless the landlord or condo rules ban it |
| Hotel room | Allowed if the hotel permits it |
| Campsite, tent or RV | Allowed if the campground permits it |
| Smoke-free provincial parks | Smoking not allowed |
| Streets, sidewalks, beaches and other public spaces | Not allowed |
| Restaurants and bars | Not allowed |
| Any vehicle on a road or trail, moving or parked | Not allowed |
Can you grow cannabis at home on PEI?
Yes. A household can grow up to four plants at one time, at any stage of growth, and that's four per house, not per person. Indoors, the grow space must be inaccessible to anyone under 19 who lives there and to anyone who wasn't invited into the home. Outdoors, plants can't be visible from public spaces and must be inside a locked enclosure at least 1.52 metres high.
If you rent, you need your landlord's written permission before growing, and condo owners need to check that their condo bylaws don't prohibit it.
How do you buy cannabis legally on PEI?
The only legal way to buy recreational cannabis on PEI is through PEI Cannabis, run by the provincial PEI Cannabis Management Corporation. It has five stores, in Charlottetown, Summerside, Stratford, Montague and O'Leary, and you can see them on WeedDB.
You can also order on its website, peicannabiscorp.com, for click and collect at a store or delivery to any legal address on PEI. Deliveries are handled by Purolator.
Driving, travel and tips for visitors
You can't consume cannabis in or on a vehicle on a highway or trail, moving or not, and that includes passengers. PEI is also strict about carrying it: you can't drive or have care and control of a vehicle or boat with cannabis inside unless it's in its unopened original package or in a container fastened closed and out of reach of everyone, such as the trunk or an ATV storage box. The exceptions are a vehicle or boat being used as a dwelling, like a motorhome at a campsite, and passengers in a bus or taxi.
Federal law makes it a crime to drive with 2 ng or more of THC per ml of blood within two hours of driving, with tougher penalties at 5 ng or more. Under PEI's Highway Traffic Act, impaired driving brings an immediate 24-hour roadside suspension followed by a 90-day driving prohibition, and a vehicle can be impounded for 30 days on a first or second charge within 10 years.
Visitors need to be 19 and carry ID. You can bring legally bought cannabis across the Confederation Bridge or on the ferry within the 30 gram limit, following the vehicle storage rules above, and flying with cannabis within Canada is allowed. Taking it outside Canada is illegal, including into the US. When you shop, our label guide explains the THC numbers.