Now the discussion around recreational marijuana has become real. Yesterday, Alberta announced the start of a framework that will see Alberta become the most progressive territory in North America on how and where it can be used. I have attached the article here for your reference:
Beyond the debate on whether marijuana should be considered the same as alcohol in its usage and handling, there are so many issues I see within this rough framework. Hopefully, there will be some thought put into the final draft but for now, these areas need clarity:
- The proposed age of 18
One should argue that this minimum age should be increased for alcohol consumption as well but most physician groups argue that the developing brain is adversely affected by booze or drugs. Starting this journey at 18 is a recipe for disaster for our youth.
2. The legal carrying amount is set at 30 grams
I am no expert in this field but when I hear that you can carry 30 grams of marijuana on you without reproach it seems excessive. This equates to around 40 joints which seems like a helluva party for most. Users would argue that you can buy a 60 count Budweiser pack at Costco or 2 L of hard liquor with no issue. The other interesting perspective was that there are much higher limits to what you can hold at your home (much like booze).
3. You can grow it at home
Again, just like alcohol, where you can home-brew beer or wine, you can grow your own stock at home. This seems like an alarming trend when the police are working so hard to stop grow ops in the city. The difference I see is that no one I know has ever tried to sell their home-brew to others. If the growing of pot isn’t tightly monitored (and how will they ever check every house for the 5 plant minimum) we are simply creating a whole new way for this drug to be black marketed to the wrong people.
4. Where you can consume it
Thankfully, they plan to stop users from smoking it while behind the wheel. At this point, they have not adequately developed a way to test for intoxication levels for drivers. They logically propose outlawing usage around public buildings and places where kids could be frequenting (a whole 5 metres away). What baffles me is that they propose that you could be walking down the streets or any other general public place and be consuming it. They would never let you walk down the street with a beer in your hand so why should marijuana be considered different? This again seems like something that will be impossible to enforce and will lead to issues.
5. They have left all of us to generally police each other
For the most part, society seems to be able to police one another. we know we shouldn’t drink and drive or consume alcohol in public. We can’t smoke on planes or outside of designated areas at buildings. Now there becomes this new animal on the block. What will people be smoking when they take their designated smoke break at work? How will businesses be best equipped to monitor consumption before and after their shift? How will the black market product become a factor on the “safe” retail product? What will the advertising model become where a glorification of the product is presented?
On the record, I am generally naive about marijuana usage and its effects. I am against the use of recreational drugs in most situations even though I can’t back up the reasons why it is different from alcohol. I have heard many of the arguments on how much safer pot is than alcohol or smoking, for that matter. All of it may be plausible and much will be recorded on it over the next year. What I do know is that we aren’t in Kansas anymore (or Canada for that matter). I’m sure there is a happy medium for everyone to enjoy the use of any recreational vice. Unless Albertan’s speak out and attempt to put tighter boundaries on how, where and what is being done here, we will have no one to blame for it but ourselves when July 2018 rolls around.
Marco