Well, it’s been over a month since marijuana was legalized, and now the question is, can you really tell?
We live in rural Alberta, so our population is smaller than the urban areas, and we have yet to see a pot shop open up in town.
I think that’s playing a big role in the lack of recreational cannabis usage that you see.
People are either having to drive to the city or order it online. Which means it’s inconvenient.
But, will it really change even when we do have a recreational cannabis location in Bonnyville?
It’s hard to know.
Like so many councillors have said throughout the legalization process, the people who wanted to smoke it already did, whether it was given the green light legally or not.
I’m sure there are a few people out there who have dabbled in the consumption of marijuana now, but I’m not really sure we’re going to notice it as much as our urban counterparts.
Meagan MacEachern The MacEachern Mindset
People aren’t allowed to smoke it in public areas, which means unless someone in your neighbourhood is lighting it up, it’s very unlikely you’re going to even see, or smell it.
I think that was the smart way to go for now. At least until we get into the swing of it.
Municipalities can always back-off a bit once they see just how much of an impact cannabis is going to have.
I wasn’t surprised when the Nouvelle sat down with the local RCMP to talk about the charges that have been laid since the legalization of cannabis, to hear that it’s really business as usual.
They haven’t seen a huge influx of impaired drivers, or people breaking the town’s rules regarding the drug.
But, that could all change once we get our own cannabis retail stores in town.
The officers said they feel that we may see an increase in the number of impaired by cannabis drivers on the road, but once word gets out that the RCMP are laying down the law, there will be a drop in charges.
I have always been a firm believer that driving under the influence of anything isn’t right. It puts so many people at risk.
So this is my warning to you.
Even though you might be one of those people that seem to believe that they drive better when they’re high, you’re not.
It’s proven scientifically that people who consume cannabis are slower to react and have poor multitasking abilities, which is why driving while under the influence of the drug is a bad idea.
The RCMP have a way of detecting it, and believe me, when you read the article we published this week (see Page 2), you’ll agree that there are clear indications.
When you go to climb behind the wheel after consuming, just remember that officers are out there looking for these behaviours, similarly to drunk driving.
My recommendation? If you’re high, stay home, because the last thing you want is to face the consequences of driving under the influence.
