PUT A LID ON POT IN PUBLIC

Calgarians are demonstrating strong common sense when it comes to offering advice on how marijuana should be regulated.

The drug is expected to be legalized by the federal government on July 1, but it’s been left to cities such as Calgary to determine where pot smoking will be permitted. A survey prepared for the city by Environics Research found that approximately 55 per cent of Calgarians believe marijuana consumption should be treated more like alcohol, rather than regarded as a product similar to tobacco.

Such a conclusion is prudent and would mean that pot couldn’t be smoked in public, just as imbibers can’t drink beer and other alcohol in public. It’s difficult to imagine people walking down the street with a glass of wine — it’s equally troublesome to picture a group of Calgarians sharing a joint as they meander down the road.

The survey discovered only 32 per cent of respondents felt marijuana should be treated like tobacco.

“It’s not like tobacco, and those who want to treat it like tobacco are probably the ones who want to smoke it anywhere,” says Coun. Shane Keating. “It’s not a cigarette, it’s a drug, and therefore, it has to be treated as a drug. That means no participating in them in public in any way, shape or form.”

Keating added the odour of pot is different than ordinary cigarette smoke, saying it should be kept away from public spaces so others won’t have to deal with the “rather bad smell.” That’s sound advice.

The research was conducted using telephone surveys in November of more than 1,000 Calgarians 18 years or older, along with five focus groups, which included opponents of legalization and recreational and medical marijuana users.

Environics Research also engaged in 30 indepth interviews last month with Calgarians who plan to be involved in cannabis production or its sale.

The legalization of marijuana was among Justin Trudeau’s pledges during the 2015 federal election. There are many wrinkles still to be worked out before July 1 — not the least being a reliable roadside test to identify drivers who are impaired by the drug — but it’s encouraging that Calgary’s city hall has a good understanding of citizens’ wishes.

Smoking pot might be acceptable in homeowners’ residences and backyards, but it’s not something that should occur in public areas. People’s views were solicited and they should be reflected in the regulations that will inevitably have to be crafted in the months ahead.