Fort McMurray pot smoking restrictions among 'strongest' in Alberta, advocacy group says

Fort McMurray's restrictions on cannabis consumption are among the strictest inAlberta, a lobby group said Tuesday, after council votedto ban pot users from smoking or vapingin all public spaces within the Wood Buffalo region.

The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo approved three bylaws on Monday that will regulate where marijuana can be used and sold, and how stores will be licensed.

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The smoking and vaping bylaws also prohibit the use of cannabisin transit facilities. Any place the public has access to, including bars andrestaurants will also be off-limits. Those same rules already appliedto smoking and vaping tobacco.

"We are treating it very similar to alcohol in that respect," said Brad McMurdo, the municipality's acting director of planning and development.

"However, residents will still be able to vape or smoke within the personally owned or rented spaces, notwithstanding any concerns raised through condo boards, condo bylaws and the tenancy act," he said.

Bylaws among the 'strongest'

Theadvocacygroup Action on Smoking and Health said the region will havebylaws among the"strongest" in the province.

"It is a stellar job," ASH spokesperson Les Hagentold municipal council Monday. "It will be one of the most progressive bylaws in Canada to deal with cannabis consumption and all forms of smoking and vaping, in fact."

Hagensaid CamroseandLloydminster alsohave tough bylaws on smoking and vaping.Leduc adopted a similar bylaw in June preventing smoking in public places.

Tough rules are needed, he said, because smoking and vapingtobacco or marijuana normalizessmoking for children, who might think its cool.

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Municipalcouncillorsalso voted to limitthe cultivation of cannabis to four plants inside an apartment, homeor backyard.

Under the bylaw, marijuana retailers cannot, in most cases, be within 150 metres of educational institutions, hospitals, residential areas or drug-and-alcohol-rehabilitation centres, though in rural areas the buffer zone will be relaxed to 100 metres.

Interest in the cannabis business in Fort McMurrayisbuilding ahead of legalization in October. The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commissionhas already received 12 applications to sell cannabis,McMurdosaid.

FortMcMurray#468 First Nationhas alsosaidit will be constructing a cannabisproduction facility.

Connect with David Thurton, CBC'sFort McMurraycorrespondent, onFacebook,Twitter,LinkedInor email him atdavid.thurton@cbc.ca