The dramatic reversal from the previous Liberal government’s decision to outlaw pot smoking in public followed a summer of consultations with police, health officials, municipalities and First Nations, Vic Fedeli said Thursday. Ontario’s finance minister is defending his plan allowing adults to smoke marijuana anywhere it’s legal to light up cigarettes as the province prepares for 500 to 1,000 private cannabis stores to open starting next spring. Opposition parties said they fear wide-open marijuana smoking will make Ontario the wild west of weed, with people toking on beaches, playgrounds and park benches, and irritating others with potentially harmful fumes. By way of comparison, there are now 660 Liquor Control Board of Ontario stores in the province. However, municipalities would not be permitted to pass bylaws singling out cannabis stores for separate zoning from other retail operations.

Source: thestar September 27, 2018 21:31 UTC