The mayor of Saint-Jérôme wants that the consumption of cannabis is prohibited in the public space

QMI agency

Wednesday, 10 January, 2018 21:49

UPDATE
Wednesday, 10 January, 2018 21:53

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TERREBONNE | The mayor of Saint-Jérôme, Stéphane Maher, hope that it will be forbidden to smoke cannabis in public places throughout Quebec, where the law legalizing the marijuana will come into force.

In an interview at the microphone of Bernard Drainville on-air on 98.5 FM on Wednesday, Mr. Maher argued that it is necessary to have a public debate before we allow full consumption of cannabis.

“What I’m saying is “if you want to smoke cannabis, do it at home,” said mayor Maher. “I prefer that we have significant restrictions for the time being. […] May be that later, in the medium term, we could make cuts [after the holding of public consultations]”.

Mr. Maher also believes that a law allowing each city to develop its own regulations regarding the consumption of cannabis would be ineffective. “We can’t start to make “micro-management” with the municipal by-laws”, argued the mayor, who claims that the regulations would be complex to follow from one city to the other for the citizens.

“We are already marketing the product even before they know its impact on society. Me, I say that we are going too fast,” he added.

Last December, mayor Maher had also joined its voice to those of many other municipalities to claim a share of the revenues of the cannabis equally between the cities, the provinces and the federal government. The Trudeau government announced that 75% of the amount raised through the excise tax will be remitted to the provinces.

Currently, the draft law governing the consumption of cannabis in Quebec, provides for restrictions similar to those in effect for tobacco. In particular, it will be illegal to smoke a joint within 9 metres of the door of an establishment and on the grounds of various public places, including hospitals, parks, terraces, and schools.