Durham split on what marijuana legalization means for the region

As marijuana became legal across the country on Wednesday, many Durham residents welcomed the change.

But, it’s not exactly reefer madness in the region.

Its municipalities are grappling with where people should be able to smoke marijuana, and many decisions regarding this may not happen until next year.

While the province requires all eight area municipalities to enforce the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, which, right now, covers only tobacco usage, places like the Town of Whitby say new, marijuana-specific rules may be coming down the pipeline.

“The town is closely monitoring what’s happening at both the provincial and regional level of government,” said Kevin Narraway, Whitby’s manager of bylaw and animal services. “We will be drafting a staff report to council in December or January in the upcoming term of council to speak with them more about it to get some ideas on where they might be from a position standpoint.”

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Some people feel that the Cannabis Act, is still too, well, green to feel confident smoking marijuana in public. Saleh Abu-Amireh, a student at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, says smoking joints is “just like smoking cigarettes.”

“It’s legal to smoke cigarettes, but not everyone is comfortable smoking cigarettes in front of people or would want that,” said 22-year-old Abu-Amireh, “just because of the stigma attached to it… the bad smell.”

Those who have been smoking marijuana, some residents say, are happy to continue what they’ve been doing. Server and bartender Ashley Parent, who has smoked marijuana, says, “A lot of people have been using it before it even was fully legal.”

“It’s just great now that you don’t have the consequences,” she continues.

What’s most important about the new laws, Darlene Castle says, is the freedom it gives Canadians.

“It’s all about choice,” said the retired LCBO employee. “Anybody should have the choice to smoke it.”