Toronto's Kingston Road - End to End

 Next Issue - November 16th, 2018

Advertising Deadline - 7 p.m., Sunday, November 4th

Oh, Cannabis

Oh, Canada - what a weedy web we're weaving.  This past Wednesday, October 17th, 2018 is settling itself into the history books, blogs, snapchats and myths of the future! I wonder, will eventually be known as Reefer-Madness Day? I wonder too if it will be celebrated or bemoaned. My guess is that you have many questions of your own. You might even have done as I did on the morning of the 17th and visited www.ocs.ca to have a peek, to get some answers. Answers are few, explanations of how the regulations are being rolled out and enforced, lesser still.    On the afternoon of the 16th, we received a press release from the Chief of the Toronto Police Services, Mark Saunders. It read, in part: “no member be permitted to serve on active duty within 28 days of consuming cannabis.” Wow! I was under the distinct impression that consuming cannabis was now legal, perhaps it’s not quite as legal as we’d like to think! He went on to say, “We are entrusted with the duty to enforce the law and are frequently required to engage in dangerous, stressful situations in order to protect people’s well-being. For the safety of the public, and for the safety of those working in the Service, we must ensure that members are always unquestionably fit for duty.” A visit to Canada.ca’s health services page www.canada.ca/en/services/health/campaigns/cannabis.html) on Cannabis, paints a picture of a very scary and dangerous drug, one that our Federal Government has just legalized.

    If, as the Canadian Government’s Health Ministry warns, “Cannabis can be addictive. Close to 1 in 3 people who use cannabis will develop a problem with their use. Close to 1 in 10 people who use cannabis will develop an addiction to it. This statistic rises to about 1 in 6 for people who started using cannabis as a teenager.” And, “Cannabis addiction can cause serious harm to your: health, social life, school work, work and financial future.” Why, I ask, was it legalized? Why is John Tory, the Mayor of Toronto saying that there have been reports of people "going down the sidewalk smoking marijuana," adding that he expects to see more of that happening. Is he implying it is a problem? Yes, a nuisance, or labour cost problem: "There will be increased costs borne by the City of Toronto, and those costs will be disproportionate to other cities in the province. On that point, I hope there is no dispute." Ah, this whole legislation it seems is just about money. According to the Feds: “to keep profits out of the hands of criminals.”
    Personally, I haven’t smoked pot in a few decades. While I was exceptionally taken with its affects, it didn’t physically agree with me. I do, however, have several important people in my life who use and in fact need to use cannabis. So much so, that I experimented for the first time with growing it in my garden. 
    Whether someone wishes to use it recreationally or for medicinal purposes, should no longer be anyone’s concern. But this Canadian Cannabis Act has hit the streets with more doubts than certainties. Is my job at risk if I get high on Saturday night with friends? If I decide to invest in this likely profitable industry, will I ever be able to travel? What will happen to my car or my driver’s license if I’m pulled over a few days after having smoked a joint, or partake in a cannabis tea to relax? 
    Oh, Canada - what's done is done. In the words of our Ontario Premier, Doug Ford, ""This is a new area, everyone's blazing this new trail," he said, "Nothing is carved in stone."
So, maybe it’s not yet time for “Everybody to get stoned” (Bob Dylan)