Business as usual at school, despite legalization of recreational marijuana

Hamilton’s school boards, both public and Catholic, say the rules for marijuana on Tuesday are the rules on Wednesday.

David Hoy, the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board’s manager of social work services, stresses smoking cannabis for recreational purposes remains illegal for anyone under the age of 19.

Pat Daly, Catholic school board director, adds that as per the board’s safe schools policy, any students choosing to use cannabis during the school day “will be disciplined as in the past.”

Hoy says that the public board has tried to get ahead of the issue through an awareness campaign, but he does expect cannabis use to be more visible in the short term.

He points to the experience of U.S. states that have legalized marijuana and reported “an initial increase in public use.”