The national legalization of marijuana is only hours away.
So, what does this mean for Okanagan residents? Will you be able to smoke or vape freely, or will it be like lighting up a cigarette, which has local and provincial rules? The answer is: It depends where you live.
If you live in West Kelowna, for example, you can only smoke or vape marijuana on private property. Last week, city council there amended its parks and public spaces bylaw regarding non-medical cannabis consumption. That amendment states that cannabis consumption will be restricted to private places only, and if you blaze a joint or vape cannabis on public property, you risk getting fined $500.
In Kelowna, the same city bylaws that currently apply to smoking or vaping in public areas will also apply to cannabis. Smoking is allowed on private properties that permit smoking, and some public areas where tobacco smoking is permitted. Smoking, though, is not permitted in parks, public spaces and within six metres of doorways. This includes sidewalk patios, bus shelters and boat launches. Cannabis smoking at Kelowna International Airport will be permitted in designated smoking areas.
In Vernon, the city recently amended its parks and public places bylaw earlier, and cannabis consumption is prohibited in public places except for roadways and sidewalks plus designated smoking and vaping areas. Technically, the amended read no person shall smoke: In a public place but does not include a highway or designated smoking area; at or within 7.5 metres of a transit stop; in any park; and at or within any portion of a highway designated a lake access site.
In Penticton, smoking and vaping of cannabis will only be allowed on private property. This is unlike tobacco, which is allowed in select public locations.
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In Lake Country, all public places, such as parks, transit stops and common areas, are off limits to cannabis consumption. More specific rules state no person shall smoke within 7.5 metres of any outdoor customer service area and within 7.5 metres of an opening into any building, including doorways, windows or air intakes.
In the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, cannabis consumption isn’t allowed in public parks. In fact, smoking of any materials, cannabis, tobacco or otherwise, is banned is RDCO parks. Also, the RDCO is following provincial rules for smoking — cannabis or otherwise — such as no smoking within 7.5 metres of doorways, windows or air intakes.
As an indicator of how popular cannabis is, according to the provincial government, as of Oct. 10, there were 173 paid applications for a cannabis retail store licences, including a region-leading 72 in the Interior and the North. There were 42 paid applications in the Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands region while the Greater Vancouver and Sunshine Coast region had 34 applications, and. Surrey and Fraser Valley had 11 applications. Notably, no licenses had been issued in any region.
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