One Calgary medical cannabis user, Daniel (not his real name), is looking to get some clarity over the city bylaws, he wants to know where and when he can use the substance. He happens to use a vaporizer to consume his cannabis, he doesn’t want to vape everywhere but he says there has been times when he was having a panic attack and couldn’t make it outside to take his medicine. He takes cannabis for PTSD, depression, and anxiety. “I don’t want to be discriminated against because of the way I take my medication,” he said.
Right now the country continues to struggle with establishing cannabis regulations in a number of jurisdictions, and some have been getting confused and mixed information about the rules. Daniel went to ask Calgary officials and he got differing responses. The City of Calgary told him that the city’s smoking bylaws do apply to cannabis and a spokesperson for the city has also confirmed this. The smoking bylaw includes smoking anything in public, any substance that can be burned whether that be tobacco or vapor.
At the end of the day, “it’s really up to the discretion of each bylaw officer,” said Carissa Vescio, a spokesperson for the city. And those bylaws can be enforced by any CPS officer, city bylaw officers, or peace officer. Daniel is still unsatisfied with the answers he’s gotten and he asks why taking cannabis medication via his vaping method, would be any different than someone who was taking a puffer for their asthma.