Pubdate: Thu, 30 Apr 2015 Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON) Copyright: 2015 Postmedia Network Inc. Contact: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/letters.html Website: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326 Author: Joanne Chianello Page: A2 VAPOUR LOUNGE 'LAST THING THIS CITY NEEDS' If there were any doubt where Mayor Jim Watson stood on the city's first vapour lounge, which opened on Montreal Road recently, he put it to rest on Wednesday. "I'm not impressed with it at all," Watson told reporters after Wednesday's council meeting. "I think it's the last thing this city needs." The mayor had plenty to say about Buzz On - where patrons pay a membership fee to smoke their own marijuana on the premises - and the frustration he feels about the city's inability to deal with the controversial new establishment. Q What does the mayor want to see happen? A Plain and simple, he wants the place shut down. And he wants the police to do it. "I fully expect the police to enforce the laws," Watson said. "If laws are being broken, if people are consuming and smoking and exchanging illegal products, then police should lay charges." He hasn't personally spoken to police Chief Charles Bordeleau - "Politicians don't direct police," Watson said - but it's evident to him that police have concerns. "Ultimately it's up to the chief of police whether they're going to lay charge, but as a citizen I see something that's being done illegally, then the police should lay charges," he said. But it's probably not that easy. While police are on the lookout for drug trafficking around and at the site, they might be reluctant to spend police resources constantly arresting people for smoking small amounts of their own marijuana. Q Ottawa has quite stringent no-smoking bylaws. Can't the city enforce them at Buzz On? A "The short answer is no," the mayor said. The issue is that smoking marijuana is illegal, so naturally the city wouldn't pass a bylaw regulating an illegal activity. "We can regulate tobacco products, but we can't regulate marijuana as a city bylaw. It would have to come from the province - it would have to amend the Smoke Free Ontario Act." The Smoke Free Ontario Act, provincial legislation that bans smoking from all public venues, refers specifically to tobacco. The province would have to add marijuana to the act for the city to regulate its use, but doing that is complicated by the fact that marijuana is illegal. Q How is Buzz On even allowed to be open? A The zoning uses for the area includes something called place of assembly, which the city defines as a place to "accommodate gatherings of people." So the vapour lounge complies with these rules. And because Buzz On doesn't sell anything - it rents marijuana paraphernalia - the proprietor doesn't need a vending licence. "The staff did review that and they believe (the owner) is in compliance with the zoning bylaw," the mayor said. "It's somewhat uncharted waters." Watson was cognizant, and seemed frustrated, by the bizarre circumstances whereby the municipality can regulate (legal) tobacco use but do nothing about (illegal) marijuana use. "So if we're cracking down on people smoking illegally on a patio - which I support - you shouldn't allow it in a restaurant," Watson said, although Buzz On does not appear to be a restaurant. "If someone has a medical licence for marijuana, then please go and use that product on your property in your own house, but please don't bring it in an establishment where other people can be affected by the second-hand smoke." Q The owner of Buzz On has invited the mayor to visit. Is he game? A "No," Watson said. "That would turn into a bit of a three-ring circus and generate publicity for him. I want to see areas like Vanier develop with legitimate, exciting new businesses, not something that is clearly illegal." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom