Smoking Marijuana in Public Coming to a Head at Edmonton City Council

A committee is to hear administration proposals on zoning, waste and public consumption before adult-use becomes legal in Canada this summer.


The city begins the laborious process of regulating cannabis use on Tuesday, when the council’s urban planning committee examines new proposals by administration to deal with the drug’s pending legalization, including whether to allow cannabis to be smoked in public.

While many legalization details are the responsibility of the provincial and federal governments, municipal authorities have a role in the cannabis retail sector, including land use zoning and business licence regulation.

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Cities are also responsible for regulating marijuana smoking in public places, and for managing waste products created by cannabis production.

Ward 10 Coun. Michael Walters, one of four councillors on the committee, said reaction to cannabis legalization from his constituents indicates “a general acceptance in society that (legalization) is not unreasonable, but there are things we need to be mindful of.”

Walters expects the issue of marijuana smoking in public places to be contentious.

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Top Image: © Greg Burwash | Adobe Stock