The Ultimate Sudbury Cannabis Guide

Whether you've lived in Sudbury your whole life or just arrived for school or work, cannabis comes with plenty of practical questions. What's allowed? Where? How much? This guide pulls together the essentials and points you to our in-depth articles on each topic.

The rules in one minute

Ontario sets most of the rules, and Greater Sudbury adds a few of its own:

• You must be 19 or older to buy, use, possess or grow cannabis.
• Carry no more than 30 g of dried cannabis (or the equivalent in other formats) in public.
• Smoke or vape only where tobacco smoking is allowed. In Sudbury, that rules out city parks, beaches and trails.
• Never consume in a vehicle or boat that's being driven, including edibles, including passengers.
• Grow up to four plants per residence, if your lease allows it.
• Don't take cannabis across the border.

Full details: Ontario Cannabis Laws: What Adults Need to Know.

Where you can consume in Sudbury

The City of Greater Sudbury's rule is that cannabis can be used wherever tobacco can. In practice:

• Yes: your own home and yard (unless your lease or condo rules say no), most sidewalks, designated hotel smoking rooms
• No: city parks, beaches, trails and playgrounds; restaurant and bar patios and 9 metres around them; bus shelters; school grounds and sports fields plus 20 metres; anywhere indoors in a public place or workplace

Our street-level breakdown, including camp and cottage season, is in Where You Can (and Can't) Smoke Cannabis in Sudbury.

Getting started safely

If you're new, or it's been a while, three things matter more than anything else:

1. Start low. Health Canada suggests 2.5 mg of THC or less for edibles, or 1–2 puffs of flower with 10% THC or less.
2. Go slow. Edibles can take up to two hours to start working and four hours to peak. Don't take more while you wait. See How Long Do Edibles Take to Kick In?.
3. Read the label. THC and CBD numbers tell you far more than indica or sativa does. Start with THC vs. CBD and Indica vs. Sativa.

Getting around

Sudbury is a driving city, so this one matters:

• Don't drive after using cannabis. Impaired driving is a criminal offence.
• Zero tolerance applies to drivers 21 and under, G1/G2 and M1/M2 licence holders, and commercial drivers.
• Keep cannabis sealed and out of reach when you're transporting it.

Read Cannabis and Driving in Ontario before you plan a night out, and line up a ride home.

Storage at home

Lock it up, keep it in its original child-resistant packaging, and keep edibles well away from food that kids or pets could reach. Flower stays fresh longest in an airtight glass jar in a cool, dark cupboard. Details in How to Store Cannabis Safely and Keep It Fresh.

Delivery in Greater Sudbury

If you'd rather have cannabis delivered, a few things to expect:

• Have government-issued photo ID ready. Deliveries go only to adults 19 or older.
• Someone 19+ needs to be home to receive it.
• Order cut-offs matter. Creator's Choice, for example, offers same-day delivery across Greater Sudbury for orders placed before 2pm.

You can check whether your area is covered on Creator's Choice's delivery area page.

Choosing a product

The main formats, from most to least familiar:

• Dried flower and pre-rolls: fast-acting when smoked or vaped. Pre-Rolls Explained covers sizes and infused options.
• Edibles and drinks: precise doses, but slow to kick in and long-lasting.
• Vapes: convenient and discreet, and still subject to smoking rules.
• Concentrates and hash: much stronger. Not a starting point.

Growing your own up north

Four plants, a sunny yard and the right genetics can work even with Sudbury's short summers. See Growing Cannabis Outdoors in Northern Ontario.

If something goes wrong

• Too much THC: stay calm, sit somewhere quiet, sip water and wait it out with someone you trust.
• A child or pet ate cannabis: call the Ontario Poison Centre at 1-844-POISON-X (1-844-764-7669) or your vet.
• Emergencies (trouble breathing, chest pain, seizures, can't stay awake): call 911.

We're adding new guides every week, from neighbourhood guides to deeper explainers. Browse the topics or search the site for what you need.