A person is authorized to have a narcotic in his or her possession if he or she requires the narcotic for his business or profession and is a licensed dealer, a pharmacist, or a practitioner who is registered and entitled to practice in the province in which he has such possession.
Section 2 of the Act defines "traffic" as (a) to manufacture, sell, give, administer, transport, send, deliver or distribute, or (b) to offer to do anything referred to in part (a).
Section 6 of the Act prohibits the growing of opium or marijuana without a federal licence.
The House of Commons referred Bill C-8 to the Canadian Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, which conducted a detailed study of it.
The Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs proposed 15 amendments as well as the striking of a joint parliamentary committee of the House of Commons and the Senate, which would review Canada's drug policy.