laws

Dear Ottawa Smokers,

Marijuana is legal in Canada as of yesterday. That means there’s about to be a new thing that is legal to smoke.

As someone who has health issues with cigarette, cigar, cigarillo, vape, and marijuana smoke, I thought I’d take this time to remind Ottawa smokers of the laws, since some cigarette and vape smokers don’t seem to remember them.

You can’t smoke in public places including parks, play structures, bars, restaurants, and patios. This includes Concert halls and festival grounds.
You can’t smoke within 9 metres of province or city owned building entrance.
You can’t smoke on public transit, transit property, or transit stops.
You can’t smoke near or in schools. This includes post-secondary.
You can’t smoke in hospitals and on hospital grounds.

Okay now that we’ve gone over the laws, I hope everyone will follow them and of course medical marijuana will have different rules and regulations.

Rules and laws are great, but as a person with severe allergies and scent sensitivities can I also ask that you do some of the following?

Courtesy

Please smoke so the wind doesn’t blow it back on you. The smell is worse than body odour and shit combined, and will make me start coughing. No one wants to smell old Tobacco, pot, etc in the workplace or bus.
Don’t smoke outside of restaurants or businesses. I want to get some groceries not cough up a lung.
Go to a smoking area and smoke there. Don’t walk and smoke.
If you HAVE to smoke and walk, please pay attention to the people around you. If there’s a parent and child around, or someone coughing, or on oxygen… make sure you’re not sending your smoke towards them.

Thank you to all the smokers that follow the laws and are courteous. I realize it’s a small minority that gives you all a bad name.

Éric