Vernon politician says something must be done to regulate public pot use
VERNON - A proposed smoking bylaw in Vernon is getting some early support from several city councillors, including one who thinks it will play an important role in the regulation of public marijuana use.
The proposal from local transit drivers asks the city to consider prohibiting cigarettes, joints, and e-cigarettes in public spaces like parks and bus stops.
“I’m totally in favour of it,” Coun. Dalvir Nahal says. “If you can’t drink in public, why do we allow smoking in public? It should be in private, designated places.”
Coun. Catherine Lord was surprised there isn’t already a ban on smoking in places like Polson Park. For the health impacts alone, she supports a smoking bylaw in public areas.
Coun. Scott Anderson agrees with parts of the proposed smoking ban, and says his biggest concern is around the impending legalization of cannabis.
“I can guarantee you on July 1 people will break out a joint and say ‘this is my right now’ and that isn’t going to fly. It’s going to bother a lot of people,” Anderson says.
He says he’s not against legalization, but believes some consideration should be made about how to regulate public use.
“This probably won't be put in as a provincial regulation, and if it is it will be a lot laxer than it should be. So as a municipality we should be doing something,” Anderson says.
According to Interior Health, Kelowna, Osoyoos and Sicamous are among the municipalities to have implemented smoking bylaws already. Those bylaws, which were brought in as early as 2010, appear to affect cigarettes only, and not marijuana or e-cigarettes.
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