Enough
Op/Ed
By John Swartz
February 7 Statistics Canada released a report stating about 4.6 million people used cannabis in the last 3 months. That’s a staggering 15% of Canadians over the age of 15.
It’s easy to imagine some who opposed legalization are sitting rather erect seeing this news, with an “I told you so,” smirk, however the comeuppance is, those figures represent no change.
Yes, since the demon weed has been legalized there has been no change with how many people use it than before legalization.
Let that simmer for a second in the RAM before you save it to disc.
It turns out legalization isn’t even the gateway to pot.
The only gateway pot has ever been is to another bag of Oreo’s, salt and vinegar chips, Taco Bell or Little Caesar’s (only because it’s ready when you get there, not because it’s especially good pizza).
It also turns out legalization of pot in Washington and Colorado is being credited with a huge drop in the use of other illegal drugs – notably by evidence of hospital emergency visits for overdoses plummeting.
More recently, The Washington Post reported a government study shows in Colorado (the first state to legalize and ranked #1 in teen use once upon a time) is showing a decrease in marijuana use among teens – and all other drugs – since legalization.
There’s a notion legalizing in Ontario will lead to dozens, or scores, of people smoking pot right out there in public, but people here in town who know a lot more about who, where, and how much pot is smoked than I have pointed out they have not observed any increase of people smoking pot in public places than there was prior to legalization. It’s also worth noting, this writer hasn’t observed, or smelled, any more public pot smoking than before, which was pretty much none to speak of. This is considering the amount of time spent in clubs enjoying live music this writer does.
So, what are all the knit brows and panicked attitudes around the council table at City Hall about? A lot of time and energy has been expended in recent months trying to head off the tsunami of pot smokers our councillors seem to think are going to be the scourge of Orillia. It seems the only people getting all sweaty are inside City Hall because there just isn’t any appreciable increase of its use to be seen, or smelled, when venturing forth into say, Couchiching Beach Park, or strolling down Mississaga Street.
But they are determined to exaggerate perception and make it so no one would dare smoke a joint in public, and since most of the public space is owned by the municipality (which I remind, is owned by the taxpayers) they want to ban it on City owned land.
The only way they can do that, because provincial law states you can smoke pot anywhere cigarettes can be smoked, is to ban smoking cigarettes. They were about to do that Jan. 21, but a letter from the folks at Nordia (who rent from the City), concern from the union representing workers at the James Street municipal yard, and input from the restaurant folks at the curling rink caused council to postpone ratifying their previous decision to ban.
Councillor Tim Lauer asked for the postponement on that count, and a little more broadly, stating the by-law was brought to council with too much haste. Councillor Ted Emond backed postponement, with a catch.
There was discussion about public input, maybe a public meeting, and accepting written submissions (It’s also interesting the idea was entertained groups could apply for exemptions in parks during events like the Mariposa Folk Festival; like that’s going to happen, who would approve it?), but Emond said he’d only back postponement if, and only if, it was limited to additional information from staff, after staff consulted with businesses operating from municipal facilities, and of course the union. That’s’ the motion to postpone which passed, staff input only.
Oh great. Now regular smokers are third class citizens, behind the special class of smokers who happen have jobs at places owned by the City, and everyone else.
This is maddening. The whole thing is wrong, not a little wrong, or shades of grey wrong, but flat out wrong. Either we are all the same or let’s stop pretending there is anything like equality.
I can hear through copper lines and fiber a whole bunch of you out there saying ‘Equality? Where’s mine? I don’t smoke!”
Memory can be short, you got yours. No one can smoke indoors in public places or at work anymore. There is no longer any compelling reason for you to have to ever be near anyone who is smoking – unless you want to wander over by that poor soul who took his smoke away from others, just so you have a reason to complain. It was an adjustment for smokers to be kicked out from under roof a few times a day, but other than on blustery days none are complaining.
I’d like to point out for the umpteenth time, the best evidence collected by scientists – not Joe Shmoes on the street corner – when outside in the great wide open, greater than 2 meters from a burning cigarette, there is no detectable second hand smoke. Anywhere you read otherwise used a discredited study that got shopped around by non-smoking zealots, or is using indoor data, which is kind like saying atmospheric conditions between earth and the moon compare as being the same. Council knows this, they’ve been informed, but are ignoring it.
It’s disappointing, more than disappointing. Seven members of this council, enjoying a second term, have done great things for Orillia, but on this we disagree. Twenty percent of the population is going to remember this come next election – especially when the specially hired, just for this purpose, smoke detectors – by-law officers – start handing out $150 fines. Got some salt for that wound?
The thing is smokers have rolled with the punches for so long, it may seem this is just another insult to endure, but it isn’t. This strikes at fundamental rights well beyond the scope of interest for any municipality. This is why we have a federal government. When you aren’t bothering anyone else you should expect to not be persecuted. It’s time to peck away at a keyboard to send an email (most councillors also have Facebook pages), or pick up a phone and let your council know this is not cricket. You have until Feb. 27 when the agenda is set for the March 4 meeting.
There is no problem here. Council is using a hammer to squash an imaginary fruit fly no one noticed and ruining the banana.
(Photo by Anastasiya Lobanovskaya – Pexels)
