A Capital Regional District committee has backed a recommendation by Vancouver Island鈥檚 chief medical officer of health to amend its clean-air bylaw, which limits where smokers can puff on tobacco, to include marijuana and vaping.
It鈥檚 a timely and prudent move.
Dr. Richard Stanwick said many studies show there are health hazards associated with the vapour from e-cigarettes and smoke from marijuana. Some dispute these findings, and research continues; regardless, people who don鈥檛 choose to smoke pot or to vape should not be subjected to the fumes of those who do.
The decriminalization of marijuana is long overdue. There has been too much hysteria and misinformation associated with pot. And the laws have been unfair 鈥� it makes no more sense to punish someone for using pot than to punish someone for drinking alcohol.
There鈥檚 merit in the argument that alcohol and tobacco do more harm than marijuana, although it鈥檚 going too far to say pot is utterly harmless or completely beneficial. It鈥檚 a powerful substance, and like tobacco and alcohol, restrictions and rules should be placed on its use.
Those who choose not to use e-cigarettes and smoke marijuana should be not be subjected to the fumes and smoke of those who do.
