Recreational marijuana smoking to be allowed on campus at Trent
Trent University will proceed with policies that allow recreational smoking of marijuana on school property now that the province will allow pot smoking wherever smoking tobacco is permitted.
The Progressive Conservative government made the announcement Wednesday, loosening rules established by the previous Liberal regime.
Trent director of risk management Louise Fish said the university will amend its existing policy to comply with the law, limiting all types of smoking to designated areas.
“In our case, this simply entails removing the distinction between medical and recreational cannabis,” she stated. “We will continue with our plan to create designated smoking areas for tobacco and cannabis to reduce second hand smoke on campus.”
Fleming has developed a campus-wide standalone policy much like its alcohol and smoking policies, officials stated in a prepared statement.
It will prohibit smoking, inhalation, vaping, ingestion and growing of cannabis or cannabis products on all college property, including residences.
“A standalone policy both highlights the importance of the policy, allows the policy to be easily accessible to the campus community, and provides us with a mechanism to comply with the legislation,” officials stated.
Medical marijuana is already exempted and will continue to be — the college already has processes in place to accommodate medical requirements and a designated space.
“Fleming College will be engaging in other efforts to educate and ensure that students make safe choices related to cannabis,” officials stated. “The policy will continue to evolve and adapt to give everyone time to adjust to the intent of the new policy. This policy applies to all employees, students, contractors and visitors to all (Fleming) campuses.”
Campus security has primary responsibility for the enforcement of the cannabis possession and use policy, officials added.
Wednesday’s announcement fosters normalization of smoking cannabis, something health promoters have been battling — particularly among youth, Peterborough Public Health director of public health programs Donna Churipuy said.
Earlier exposure brings with it increased health risks, she pointed out. “Anything we can do to reduce early initiation of cannabis will definitely result in better health outcomes in our entire population.”
Restricting visibility will reduce youth cannabis use, Churipuy said. Reducing exposure in public places will be key — organizations have already worked hard to reduce the number of public spaces where tobacco can be smoked.
“I anticipate we will work closely with our municipal partners to enhance those sort of rules,” she said.
Under the previous rules, those over the age of 19 would have only been able to smoke cannabis in a private residence once pot becomes legal on Oct. 17.
The government will also not put a cap on the number of pot shops when it begins licensing and regulating the province’s private cannabis retail market, while municipalities will have until January to opt out of hosting the stores.
Attorney General Caroline Mulroney and Finance Minister Vic Fedeli announced the details a day before new legislation on cannabis rules are set to be tabled. Mulroney said the new rules align with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act.