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."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom