It’s the first spring of legal pot and you’re headed to the campground this weekend.
So are you allowed to smoke cannabis in the great outdoors?
The short answer is no. For this weekend, anyway.
“The smoking and vapor product Control Act prohibits the smoking or vaping of cannabis in public outdoor places including parks and in provincial parks,” said Elizabeth Ostroff, manager of recreation and education services for parks and campgrounds in Manitoba.
“There’s an additional regulation that prohibits the smoking and vaping of cannabis on a camp site.
“So, therefore, unlike in a national park, we have additional regulations in provincial park campgrounds that prohibit the smoking of cannabis on a camp site, unlike alcohol that can be contained in a cup. Smoke carries.”
All right, so no cannabis on the beach, in the forest, in the park or at your provincial park campsite.
However, you can drink alcohol and smoke tobacco at your provincial park campsite. Normally, you’re not allowed to on long weekends, but that was lifted in 2018 and there were no major incidents, said Ostroff, so once again there is no ban.
But what if you’re heading to Riding Mountain National Park? Being a federally-run campground and park, the rules are a little different.
Riding Mountain has an alcohol ban this weekend, as well as a cannabis ban everywhere, confirmed a spokesperson for Parks Canada.
However, after the long weekend, those are both lifted.
Here’s the point form version, then, for May 17-20, 2019 in Manitoba:
- Provincial parks: Alcohol and tobacco OK for campsites only. No cannabis allowed anywhere
- Riding Mountain National Park: No alcohol or cannabis allowed anywhere. Tobacco OK for campsites
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