Cannabis rules in Edmonton could trigger changes to smoking laws

The same risks should be subject to similar regulations, as Edmonton City Council Tobacco Advocates say, since councilors decide where people should be allowed to smoke cannabis in public when it is legal to do so. October.

Marijuana, cigarettes, cigars and vaping are encouraged on the same playground.

Hagen, executive director of Action on Smoking and Health, said his group's priority is to make public spaces safer.

"We call for restrictions that include all forms of smoking or vaping – whether tobacco, shisha or cannabis – in public places used by children, including parks and public events."

action on smoking and health, said that they want the council restricts smoking in all public spaces where children play. (CBC)

Hagen stated that public events would include concerts, festivals and farmers' markets.

Several councilors, including Ben Henderson, agree that the city should review the rules surrounding smoking and vaping.

"My feeling is that whatever we do for cannabis, we should do it for smoking," Henderson said Friday. "If we are concerned about children being exposed to cannabis, we are also concerned that they will be exposed to cigarettes."

Currently, smoking in most public places in Edmonton is permitted, provided that It is at least 10 meters away from Tuesday, the council will discuss the amendment to the public buildings bylaw which, in its current form, would allow the use of cannabis in parks and sidewalks at less than 10 meters from a door and 30 meters from the children. amenities such as playgrounds.

Hagen said that 30 meters from where children play are not far enough.

Coun. Andrew Knack thinks the council should consider stricter guidelines for tobacco and cannabis.

"If we choose to go more severely than what the current rule is at 30 meters from a playground – say we want to make a greater distance." All the park – line up the rules of tobacco? "he said. "I think there's probably a logic to that."

The stricter approach to regulating public cannabis use is far from what Alberta Health Services and Hagen suggested earlier this week, when they claimed that Edmonton was about to be Hagen, on behalf of the campaign for a smokeless Alberta, on Friday issued a statement titled "Will Edmonton Become the New Amsterdam of Cannabis Consumption?" [19659002] Alberta Health "We recommend that municipalities put in place strict regulations prohibiting the use of cannabis in public places," said AHS spokeswoman Kirsten Goruk on the occasion of the adoption of municipal by-laws. a statement on Friday. "Cannabis is an intoxicating substance and should therefore be treated in the same way as alcohol."

M. Henderson also said that he did not want to impose the cigarette at a time when regulations on cannabis attract so much attention.

City Council will debate and decide whether to amend the Public Places Regulation to tighten the rules surrounding public cannabis use. (CBC)

"My hesitation in pushing too hard at the same time is that it makes the temperature go up," he said. "My feeling is that we need to lower the temperature on all this."

The council is to debate the regulation on public places from Tuesday or Wednesday at a meeting at the town hall.

@ natashariebe