Marijuana lounges could be in VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 future if the province follows the cityB次元官网网址檚 lead.
The City of Victoria submitted a list of recommendations to the province for cannabis regulations following legalization next year. CouncilB次元官网网址檚 positions on public consumption, minimum age, personal possession, drug-impaired driving, personal cultivation, and distribution and retail models were discussed.
Designated areas for consuming marijuana were suggested, particularly for those who cannot smoke in their home.
B次元官网网址淩enters, specifically, could face eviction for using cannabis in their households, which will be a legal substance, and for many people, is their medicine,B次元官网网址� Coun. Jeremy Loveday said. B次元官网网址淚f there are bylaws from the CRD, or laws provincially that ban it in public, that would mean there is actually no place for them to use their medicine.B次元官网网址�
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Coun. Margaret Lucas said she thought there should be a distinction between medicinal and recreational, noting there are laws that regulate smoking although tobacco is legal.
B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 open a cigar-smoking lounge anymore B次元官网网址� you canB次元官网网址檛 have those, even with the ventilation and everything,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淐igarette smoking, thereB次元官网网址檚 nothing illegal about that, and we donB次元官网网址檛 allow it in those places either.B次元官网网址�
Coun. Ben Isitt said vaping would be healthier for people to consume, and for potential employees who may work in a marijuana lounge, but heB次元官网网址檇 prefer the provincial government decide on the way people can consume the drug.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not very prescriptive in how alcohol is consumed,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淧eople are allowed to drink it, I donB次元官网网址檛 even know if thereB次元官网网址檚 laws saying you canB次元官网网址檛 inject alcohol in a club or a lounge or private club for that matter, but we donB次元官网网址檛 have that level of specificity,B次元官网网址� he said.
But Coun. Geoff Young suggested allowing marijuana smoking in public, and in lounges, would contradict current tobacco smoking laws.
B次元官网网址淲e do have to avoid the ridiuclous situation that would arise if we allowed consumption of cannabis by smoking in places we donB次元官网网址檛 allow cigarette smoking,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎ll of the health benefits weB次元官网网址檝e gained by control of smoking would be lost.B次元官网网址�
Drug-impaired driving was also discussed. The city asked the province for: strong restrictions on drug-impaired driving; educational and awareness campaigns on cannabis-impaired driving; and roadside testing, suspension and prohibition programs.
Unlike a roadside breathalyzer test to detect alcohol intoxication, there is no equivalent test for marijuana. Police may use a blood test, but marijuana is detectable even weeks after use, long after the user is sober. For this reason, council supported a zero tolerance on impairment for L and N licence holders, not zero tolerance for detecting marijuana on a blood test.
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Loveday said drug-impaired driving is already something many constituents are concerned about, but he wonders how much policing this will cost.
B次元官网网址淚t was raised by our police chief that legalization of cannabis will raise costs of policing for municipalities, and I think that is the exact opposite of what legalization should do,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淚f that is the result of the legalization framework thatB次元官网网址檚 coming in, we should push back on that, and say we canB次元官网网址檛 afford to pay, and itB次元官网网址檚 not the right type of framework.B次元官网网址�
On distribution, council would like to see a differentiation between medicinal and non-medicinal cannabis, and options for local enterprise, craft enterprise, and small business in cultivation, distribution and retail sale. They also asked the province to allow for public and private selling, and create a provincial standard covering cannabis retail.
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On cultivation, council supported Bill C-45. Councillors further asked that the city continue to have zoning authority for location of both public and private retail outlets.
