Edibles in Canada: The 10 mg THC Limit, US Gummies and Illegal Packs

A common assumption among Canadian shoppers is that no legal edible package can exceed 10 mg of THC. That was true from October 2019 until March 2025. Since then the 10 mg ceiling applies to each inner container, not to the box you carry out of the store. Understanding that one change explains most of what you now see on the shelf, and why a 500 mg bag of gummies is still a warning sign.

The rule in one sentence, and the 2025 change

Immediate container

The package in direct contact with the product, such as the pouch holding the gummies. Under section 102.7 of the Cannabis Regulations it may contain no more than 10 mg of THC, counting THCA that can convert to THC.

Health Canada's streamlining amendments, in force March 12, 2025, allowed co-packs: an outer package holding several immediate containers, up to 30 g of dried cannabis or its equivalent. The THC limits on each immediate container did not change. A former senior Health Canada policy adviser, David Brown, told CBC in August 2026 the change has not cut costs as much as producers hoped, though edible sales have ticked up.

1. 2019-10-17

   Federal rules for edibles, extracts and topicals take effect, with a 10 mg THC cap per package.

2. 2025-03-12

   Co-pack amendments take effect; 10 mg cap now applies per immediate container.

3. 2026-08-27

   An Alberta retailer starts selling Olli StikiStix, a co-pack of 10 units at 10 mg THC each (100 mg total) — later recalled over missing label information.

Why US gummies look so much stronger

US rules differ by state, and a separate federal hemp market adds a second set of labels. The table shows why a bag bought in California or online from a US hemp brand does not match a Canadian pack.

Bringing US gummies into Canada is a separate problem: taking cannabis across the border in either direction is illegal. See our border guide.

What an illegal edible looks like

Health Canada has warned since December 2021 about "copycat" edibles packaged to look like popular candy, chips and cereal, and says children have been hospitalized after eating them. Brands mimicked in its advisory include lookalikes of Oreo, Cheetos, Froot Loops, Skittles, Starburst and Sour Patch Kids.

• No excise stamp — every legal cannabis package sold in Canada carries a provincial excise stamp. No stamp, no legal sale.
• Bright branded packaging — legal packs are plain, with the standardized red cannabis symbol and a yellow health warning.
• One container over 10 mg — "500 mg" or "1000 mg" on a single bag or bar is outside federal rules.
• Candy-brand parody names — Health Canada lists these as a hallmark of illegal edibles.
• Sold online "anywhere in Canada" — legal retailers ship only within their own province.

Label accuracy is not guaranteed even in the legal market

Legal products are tested, and when something goes wrong it is recalled publicly. In July 2026 Health Canada posted a recall of Social Sessions chocolates after testing found undeclared milk and hazelnut and THC values that did not match the labels; a chili crisp labelled 1 mg THC per unit tested at 3.38 mg. Details are on our Red List, and our guide to checking recalls shows where to look.

What it costs in tax

Federal and provincial excise duty on edibles is charged per milligram of THC: $0.0025 federal plus $0.0075 additional duty, one cent per milligram in total, before any provincial adjustment. A 100 mg co-pack therefore carries about $1 of base duty. For dosing and onset, read edibles dosing and labelling. This article is general information, not legal or medical advice.