Growing up in Scarborough, I didn’t really know much about cannabis, except that it was a drug and that it was bad for you. My parents associated it with addicts and criminal activity, and after multiple cannabis grow-op houses in the neighbourhood were raided, that became the norm in my mind.
Today, cannabis has been legalized and Canadian cannabis smokers are enjoying it. From people rolling a joint to people smoking cannabis on the subway, I’ve seen it all. But transporting it is a different matter.
According to the government of Ontario’s website, it is now legal to carry up to 30 grams of legal cannabis at a time. (That’s about the amount you could hold in both hands.) With that quantity comes the smell. A gram is pretty easy to transport as it is nearly scentless, but anything over 10 grams can really smell. Depending on the strain, the odour can be intense.
Boarding the TTC and being forced to sit in a bus or train while it simply “danks” is not always a fun experience, especially for non-smokers.
I have a sensitivity to smell, and so do many others. Depending on the type and strength of a particular odour, it can lead to migraines, headaches, and sinus problems.
However, being a casual cannabis smoker, I feel that it’s important to make your own choices freely, as long as they don’t affect others. This means going the distance to make sure that your cannabis doesn’t affect other TTC riders.
Simple etiquette would be a start: After smoking, wait a little while for the smell to dissipate and then board. When transporting cannabis, keep it in a sealed container. The Ontario Cannabis Store even gives one to you with the product.
The Toronto Transit Commission does their part as well. I’ve seen riders removed by transit security for reeking like beer. But they could go a step further and implement a scent-free environment for all riders. Our part as smokers is to take the first step. By being respectful to non-smokers, we can start to remove the stigma around cannabis.
It might not be the law, but taking responsibility not to inconvenience other riders may be the better way to go.