Where to smoke pot legally?

Ontario wants your say on where people should be allowed to smoke marijuana. The province is inviting input, as it navigates the transition to legal marijuana, expected this summer.

Chass Brown has a marijuana dispensary on King street in Hamilton and has already responded to the provincial questionnaire. He’s in favour of a place people can go to smoke. “It’s a safe environment for people to smoke without getting in trouble, keeping it away from the children.”

James Lloyd agrees. He runs the Hamilton Cannabis club and two Hamilton head shops. “It lets people of a likeness gather somewhere and people who don’t like that can just stay away from that spot.”

Ontario is leaning towards imposing the same smoking rules for marijuana as tobacco. But Ontario landlords are concerned about the impending legalization of marijuana and what that might mean if renters are only allowed to smoke at home. They say that might affect quality of life for other renters in the building.

City councillor Matthew Green says Hamilton will have to address business licencing if marijuana lounges do become legal.

You have until March 5th to submit your feedback to the province on this issue, marijuana is expected to be legal in Canada in July.