Editorial standards

How we research

Every guide starts with the primary source, not a secondhand summary. For anything about the law or what's permitted, that means the legislation and the government bodies that administer it. For anything about health or effects, it means public-health guidance and peer-reviewed research. We read the source, then explain it in plain language, and we link back so you can check it yourself.

The sources we rely on

• Health Canada, the federal authority on cannabis health effects, edibles, and product rules.
• The Cannabis Act and its regulations, the legislation that sets possession limits, the legal framework, and what's allowed nationally.
• Provincial and territorial cannabis authorities, including the OCS (Ontario), SQDC (Quebec), BC Cannabis Stores, AGLC (Alberta), NSLC (Nova Scotia) and their counterparts, which set local age, retail, and possession rules.
• Peer-reviewed research, via the National Library of Medicine and similar databases, for claims about effects and safety.
• The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), for harm-reduction and lower-risk-use guidance.

How we keep it accurate

Content is checked against those sources before it's published, and cross-checked where claims are significant. We're deliberately conservative: if the evidence is thin or mixed, we say so rather than overstating it. Guides carry a publish date and a "last reviewed" date so you always know how current the information is.

Health and legal topics

Cannabis touches both health and the law, so we hold this content to a higher bar. We do not make medical claims, we don't promise outcomes, and we flag risks plainly, especially around driving, pregnancy, youth, mental health, and dosing. Our content is educational. It is not medical or legal advice; for decisions about your health or legal situation, talk to a qualified professional.

Independence and how we're funded

We are reader-first and editorially independent. We are not a retailer and we don't sell cannabis. Where a page ever includes an affiliate or sponsored link, it is clearly disclosed, and it never changes what we recommend, our guidance is based on the evidence, not on who pays. If that ever can't be true for a given topic, we don't cover it that way.

Staying current

Cannabis law and the market change, so this isn't a "publish once and forget" site. We revisit cornerstone guides and province pages on a regular cycle and whenever the rules shift, and we update the reviewed date when we do.

Corrections

We'd rather be corrected than be wrong. If you spot an error, tell us and we'll review it promptly, fix what needs fixing, and note meaningful changes.

Who writes this

LeafNorth is produced by The LeafNorth Editorial Team, an independent Canadian group focused on clear, honest cannabis education. We write for the curious adult who just wants straight answers, no hype, no judgment.