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Banff considers prohibiting public pot use

BANFF - Public consumption of cannabis is set to be banned in Canada's flagship tourist town once pot is legalized.

BANFF - Public consumption of cannabis is set to be banned in Canada's flagship tourist town once pot is legalized.

Acting as the governance and finance committee, council voted unanimously to prohibit smoking and vaping of cannabis in public places - but the decision won't be final until a formal vote of council in June, at which time any councillor can change their mind.

Banff is also looking at where cannabis retail stores can be located under provincial legislation and municipal land use planning; however, an early move to ban retail stores entirely from at least two councillors did not get support from the majority of council.

Councillor Grant Canning, who put forward the motion recommending council ban cannabis in public places and limit it to private residences and properties, said he didn't want Banff to become a cannabis tourism destination.

"I think that runs very counter to what is important to us as a destination and the message that we're trying to send out to the world," he said during the May 14 committee meeting.

"When I think of somewhere like Amsterdam, I don't think of canals, I think of pot and that clearly is the wrong message."

Canning said he believes cannabis should be regulated in a similar fashion to alcohol, not cigarettes.

"I have no issue if someone wants to consume cannabis in the privacy of their home or property, but I am personally very much concerned about the public realm as it relates to this," he said.

"I for one don't want to walk through Central Park or the rec grounds or the trail system and be overwhelmed by the use of cannabis."

The federal government, responsible for regulating the production of cannabis as well as setting the rules around possession limits, has indicated it hopes to legalize cannabis by the end of the summer.

The Alberta government's proposed legislation would allow for public consumption of cannabis in some areas, such as a trails, pathways, and green spaces that are not sports fields or playgrounds, however, it's up to individual municipalities to decide on this.

Banff has followed in the footsteps of the City of Calgary, the first major city in Alberta to ban public consumption of cannabis. Calgary council has, however, asked its administration to return with considerations for designated cannabis consumption areas.

In U.S. states where creational cannabis is legal, public use of pot is not allowed.

Alison Gerrits, the Town of Banff's community services director, said this approach gives time for other elements of related legislation to come into play, such as the commercialization of edibles, and the potential development of cannabis lounges or cafes in advance of considering any public areas where consumption could occur.

"When and if the opportunity to consume cannabis occurs within a licensed establishment (as alcohol currently does now), this would add additional locations where cannabis consumption can occur in a controlled and regulated environment," she said.

Once pot is legalized, Coun. Corrie DiManno said she is comfortable with banning cannabis smoking and vaping in public places, but is open to reviewing the issue down the road.

She asked administration about the concept of setting aside designated areas for smoking.

"This is a new and emerging situation for our community and because of that I am happy to start in a more cautious position," she said.

"I think for now the public health approach is a good fit for our community."

Mayor Karen Sorensen, who sits on Banff Lake Louise Tourism as a council representative, said the board has no formal position on this issue, but noted her interpretation is Banff doesn't want to be known as a tourism destination for cannabis.

"My experience of what people were saying is there is a desire to assure that we're not a cannabis destination, that that's not something we as a destination or marketing organization would go out with in terms of being a cannabis destination," she said.

Councillor Chip Olver said she supports a ban on public smoking and vaping based on Albert Health Services' recommendations to take a precautionary approach and more restrictive approach to begin with.

"A concern of mine would be exposure to second hand smoke," she said.


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