Are we really ready for legal cannabis? Not so fast ...

Attorney General Caroline Mulroney says Ontario is ready for next week’s launch of legal cannabis. We admire her optimism, but like many Ontarians we’re not so sure.

Yes, there have been steps in the right direction. The privatized distribution system chosen by the Ford government makes more sense than the public-sector system put forward by the Wynne government.

Federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould gave the green light in August to a new roadside test to check for drugs, named the “Drager DrugTest 5000.” The equipment will be made available to police forces across the country, although it will be up to police to decide what testing equipment they want to use.

But there remain a host of unanswered questions, and more and more are cropping up as the clock ticks down. Let’s discuss just a few.

This week the Toronto police service brought down its rule that officers can’t have indulged in legal pot within 28 days of active service. The 28 days is based on research from the force’s medical advisory service, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police about how long THC — the active ingredient in cannabis — can be stored in the body and potentially impact performance and judgment. Other police services, including the RCMP, are looking at similarly stringent rules.

Obviously, we all want safeguards to ensure police and other emergency workers are well clear of cannabis intoxication while on the job, but there’s a potential double standard here — it’s called alcohol.

There is no such rigorous standard to ensure alcohol is no longer in the bloodstream when police and other workers report for duty.

How does that work? And isn’t the apparent double standard ripe for some sort of legal intervention.

Consuming cannabis in apartments and condos is another tricky area. Apartments that are already smoke free should be no problem, except for the preexisting challenge of medical marijuana. But what about apartments or condos that allow tobacco consumption? Some landlords are saying legal pot won’t be allowed because second-hand pot smoke can travel through ventilation systems into units of unwilling neighbours. But harmful smoke is harmful smoke. Cigarette exhaust can travel through ventilation systems in the same way pot smoke does.

This is another double standard that is bound to be challenged for good reason.

Workplaces will pose challenges as well. Most professionals these days don’t indulge in alcohol at lunch, but some do. If they return to work smelling like wine or beer, they may raise eyebrows but that’s about all if they can do their job properly. Will the same standard be applied to an employee who comes back from lunch smelling like pot, and if not, why not?

While cannabis will be legal as of Oct. 17, Ontario is not ready for retail sales. If you want to indulge, you’ll need to order by mail. How much personal information will be required, and how secure will it be? And will someone need to be home when Canada Post delivers? A package of cannabis can’t be left unsupervised.

These are just a few issues that remain partly or wholly unresolved. Get ready for interesting times.

Obviously, we all want safeguards to ensure police and other emergency workers are well clear of cannabis intoxication while on the job, but there’s a potential double standard here — it’s called alcohol.