Letting people smoke in public parks means Edmonton would embrace what even Vancouver and The Hague city in the Netherlands are now backing away from, said the delegation of doctors and researchers at council’s community services committee meeting.
No jurisdiction that fully legalized marijuana allows public consumption, including Uruguay, Alaska, Colorado or California, said Kathie Gavin, a member of the AHS provincial cannabis team.
The Hague, where the drug is de-criminalized, brought in a ban on smoking cannabis in 13 public areas starting May 1, citing nuisance and odour concerns, she said. In April, the Vancouver Park Board said it refused to issue a permit for a 4/20 event because smoking is not permitted.
“Those jurisdictions are now pulling back. We went to where they were five years ago, which is not consistent,” said Gavin’s AHS colleague, medical officer of health Dr. Shobhit Maruti.
“The current bylaw would be one of the least restrictive bylaws, not only in the province, but in the world.”
Council is updating its public places bylaw ahead of the October cannabis legalization date. Early last month, the committee endorsed a plan that would allow people to smoke cannabis on any city sidewalk or walking trail, in the river valley, in neighbourhood parks or in designated areas at public festivals.
City officials brought the proposed change in wording for that bylaw to committee Wednesday. Councillors heard from the speakers, then sent the issue to council for debate instead. That means a vote will happen next Tuesday. Coun. Michael Walters said Wednesday he thinks council will look at greater restrictions, especially in parks with sports fields or playground equipment.
City officials have said a less restrictive bylaw would be less expensive to enforce.
Provincial officials have still not said whether they will share federal tax dollars with municipalities to off-set enforcement costs.
Children will copy
The health team is urging Edmonton to take a few months and reconsider. It recommends a complete ban on public smoking to start, adding opportunities later if there is public demand. It said people can turn to oils or other, less problematic, forms of cannabis if they can’t smoke.
“Cannabis is … not benign,” said Maruti, urging council to prevent it from being smoked in front of children. He doesn’t want smoking to become normalized, which would encourage more youth to try it.
Twenty to thirty per cent of non-medical cannabis users experience increased anxiety, panic attacks and social phobia from the drug, he said, and it has significant impacts on brain development and psychological disorders.
Public bans common
The rules are important because they set societal norms, he said. “We have to do everything possible from a public health point of view to discourage smoking and encourage lower risk uses. Children copy what they observe,” Maruti said.
Gavin said in Alberta, there will be no public consumption of cannabis in Okotoks, Calgary, Lloydminster or Banff. Airdrie, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain and others are considering similar bans. In Canada, several provinces and territories banned public consumption, including New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories.
No jurisdiction that fully legalized marijuana allows public consumption, including Uruguay, Alaska, Colorado or California, said Kathie Gavin, a member of the AHS provincial cannabis team.
The Hague, where the drug is de-criminalized, brought in a ban on smoking cannabis in 13 public areas starting May 1, citing nuisance and odour concerns, she said. In April, the Vancouver Park Board said it refused to issue a permit for a 4/20 event because smoking is not permitted.
“Those jurisdictions are now pulling back. We went to where they were five years ago, which is not consistent,” said Gavin’s AHS colleague, medical officer of health Dr. Shobhit Maruti.
“The current bylaw would be one of the least restrictive bylaws, not only in the province, but in the world.”
Council is updating its public places bylaw ahead of the October cannabis legalization date. Early last month, the committee endorsed a plan that would allow people to smoke cannabis on any city sidewalk or walking trail, in the river valley, in neighbourhood parks or in designated areas at public festivals.
City officials brought the proposed change in wording for that bylaw to committee Wednesday. Councillors heard from the speakers, then sent the issue to council for debate instead. That means a vote will happen next Tuesday. Coun. Michael Walters said Wednesday he thinks council will look at greater restrictions, especially in parks with sports fields or playground equipment.
City officials have said a less restrictive bylaw would be less expensive to enforce.
Provincial officials have still not said whether they will share federal tax dollars with municipalities to off-set enforcement costs.
Children will copy
The health team is urging Edmonton to take a few months and reconsider. It recommends a complete ban on public smoking to start, adding opportunities later if there is public demand. It said people can turn to oils or other, less problematic, forms of cannabis if they can’t smoke.
“Cannabis is … not benign,” said Maruti, urging council to prevent it from being smoked in front of children. He doesn’t want smoking to become normalized, which would encourage more youth to try it.
Twenty to thirty per cent of non-medical cannabis users experience increased anxiety, panic attacks and social phobia from the drug, he said, and it has significant impacts on brain development and psychological disorders.
Public bans common
The rules are important because they set societal norms, he said. “We have to do everything possible from a public health point of view to discourage smoking and encourage lower risk uses. Children copy what they observe,” Maruti said.
Gavin said in Alberta, there will be no public consumption of cannabis in Okotoks, Calgary, Lloydminster or Banff. Airdrie, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain and others are considering similar bans. In Canada, several provinces and territories banned public consumption, including New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories.
