Why are there no weed lounges in Canada after legalization?
What’s the deal with cannabis lounges in Canada? It’s a cruel irony to ponder this question, given that cannabis is legal.
In the nearly four years since legalization, not a single jurisdiction has enacted legislation allowing the use of cannabis in public places. Although cannabis became legal in 2018, consumers are not allowed to smoke, vape, eat, etc. indoors and sometimes even outdoors.
Consumption lounges still exist around the world, both in legalized countries and places where cannabis is still illegal. Before legalization, Canada had weed lounges and compassion clubs from coast to coast. Now those same players are being fined millions for still being active.
Believe it or not, Canada’s lack of cannabis cafes is a problem for consumers and non-users alike. Not only is it a proven harm reduction tool, it’s also a huge missed opportunity for tourism (hello, Amsterdam?!). Will we ever get her back?
Consumers also deserve legal cannabis consumption spots
Anyone in Canada over the age of 19 can walk into a bar and enjoy a cold beer or cocktail without passing a shred of judgement. People who like caffeine can get their hands on a hot cup anytime, anywhere.
But if you’re looking to use another legal substance, cannabis, with a bunch of friends somewhere outside of your home, you’re (mostly) out of luck.
Proponents will attest that this level of indulgence is unnecessary, given cannabis’s safety profile combined with the strict regulations that exist around its consumption.
This lack of consumption spaces is alienating and continues to stigmatize the plant long after we’ve been told it’s okay to partake of the substance of our choice.
The problem with smoking bans is that one size doesn’t fit all
Lawmakers and public health officials will say that the smoking statute primarily stands in the way of cannabis consumption lounges, and they will justify including cannabis smoke in this statute because they believe it will reduce harm to the public.
Smoking bans are in place to protect the health and safety of the public and are in place for good reason. I’m not here to debate its validity. What I will argue against is the misconception – a misconception widely accepted by governments and shared with the public – that tobacco smoke and cannabis smoke are equally harmful.
There is evidence that while the two substances have many of the same components, they do not have the same effects. While it is true that inhaling any type of smoke is harmful to lung health, the pharmacological activities stimulated by tobacco and cannabis smoke are very different.
The narrative that the two are the same also completely obliterates the fact that, for many Canadians, smoked cannabis is medicinal and can improve the overall quality of life. The same is not true of tobacco smoking, which kills an estimated 48,000 Canadians each year.
Get to know cannabis in Canada
Weed lounges and compassion clubs are for harm reduction
Here’s the thing: There’s already a lot of evidence that cannabis lounges themselves can also serve as a harm reduction tool.
Cannabis lounges in Canada have shown us firsthand that they help reduce harm in two ways: by fully protecting those not interested in exposure to cannabis smoke, and by providing cannabis users with a safe place to where they can gather and consume without the shame of using a legal substance.
Regulations banning consumption in parks, on sidewalks and other areas also create problems for consumers who are not allowed to smoke in their homes. This is particularly problematic for patients who use cannabis for medicinal purposes.
Lounges create a place for patients to consume, where they a) don’t have to worry about being penalized for violating the regulation and b) can find camaraderie and a sense of belonging with other patients and consumers.
Even recreational users should have a place where they can consume a legal substance without fear of irritating sensitive noses or getting the evil eye.
While most will just shrug off these reactions and go about their business, I’d bet that if there was a specific place to light up, consumers would choose to go there rather than possibly upset their neighbors.
Are we getting closer to reclaiming these spaces?
Grappling with the idea of these safe spaces returning feels pointless, and it’s easy to see why. A September 2021 Canadian Press article noted that when provincial and territorial regulators were asked about cannabis lounges, “many [said] they are not even considered.”
While there were whispers from the provincial governments of Ontario and British Columbia, as well as the city of Edmonton, that consumption lounges might one day be on the table, these proposals only concerned smoke-free lounges.
Little has been said of these jurisdictions since they expressed initial interest. In Alberta, regulations recently allowed cigar smoking lounges to be licensed, but cannabis lounges remain out of the question.
Canada already had these lounges (and they work)
Canada’s lack of facilities for smoking cannabis is particularly frustrating for consumers who, prior to legalization, may have had access to one of the lounges that existed in cities like Victoria, Vancouver, Kingston, Toronto and St. John’s (to name a few). ).
Before the Smoke-Free Ontario Act was amended prior to legalization to ban indoor vaping and smoking of cannabis, lounges like Hotbox and 420 Sessions existed in a gray area as the law was specific to tobacco smoke.
Regardless of the law or not, these lounges served as community hubs and offered cannabis users a place to feel welcome.
Ask anyone who has had the pleasure of lighting up in the Victoria Cannabis Buyers’ Club lounge or using a Volcano with friends in one of the many vapor lounges in Vancouver or Toronto and they will likely agree that these facilities have been invaluable and provided a unique, safe, social environment.
Cannabis users in other parts of the world – see: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Denver, Las Vegas and California to name a few – have access to a range of indoor consumption options ranging from laid-back cafes to noisier places with atmosphere rather pubs.
As a long-time cannabis user and professional, I find it difficult to understand why lawmakers continue to ban cannabis lounges, especially when there are so many useful reasons for their existence.
Tourism is a good reason. As Canadians who have visited these places will tell you, lounges serve as an incredible draw for tourists and are a fun place to hang out and spend money.
Unfortunately, unless the bylaws are revised, visitors to Canada intending to smoke a joint with their smoked salmon egg benny or maple syrup and pancakes will have to settle for what the rest of us do: a stealthy pre-brunch Pre-roll on the sidewalk.
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