Following a law change from bill to enforcement

Passing is not the same as in force

A cannabis bill may pass a legislature, be signed, and still change nothing for months. The law usually has a commencement date, and rules for licensing, labelling and sales are often written afterward by a regulator. Each step has its own date and its own document.

The usual stages

1. Proposal: a bill or initiative is introduced or qualifies for a vote.
2. Passage: a legislature votes or the public does.
3. Signature or assent: the head of state or government signs it into law.
4. Regulations: a regulator writes the detailed rules, often with a public consultation.
5. Commencement: the date the rules apply.
6. Licensing and enforcement: the first licences are issued, and inspections begin.

How to check what is in force

• Read the commencement section of the law itself.
• Look for the regulator's own notice that rules have started.
• Look for amendments: a law can be changed after it starts.

Headlines versus documents

News coverage often reports the vote and not the start date. Treat a headline as a prompt to find the document, and trust the document.