Former police officer opens cannabis lounge in Winnipeg

Winnipeg's first cannabis loungetouts itself as a safe place tolight up and connect with other medical marijuana users forsupport.

Vapes on Main, in the 1400-block ofMain Street,has been open for about two weekstoanyone 18 or olderwho uses medicinal marijuana.

Steven Stairs has glaucoma and uses medical marijuana to relieve his symptoms. He alsoservedon the University of Manitoba Students Union as the Students Living With Disabilities Representative last year.

"I mean, marijuana smokers and medical marijuana users are just the same as anybody else, said Stairs. We like to sit around and talk and have a conversation about something just like we would over a Tim Hortons."

Stairs hopes the lounge will be a building block toward more such lounges on the prairies.

Owner Bill Vandergraaf,a retired Winnipeg police officer, said hehopes the club will create more awareness about medicinal marijuana use.

He saidhe got the idea after seeing similar clubs open in Vancouver and Toronto.

I thought it was time for Winnipeg. I think it's much safer to have people using medical marijuana where they can share their experiences, where we can educate the public and simply create a peaceful atmosphere,Vandergraaf said.

The private club isfree to usebut they are accepting donations to pay for things like coffee and munchies, he said.

No alcohol or other drugs are allowed.

Vandergraafsaid he doesnt expect to encounter any issues with police because they aren't doing anything illegal.

A spokesperson with the city told CBC the city doesnt issue out licences for medicinal marijuana lounges, adding there is no current legislation prohibiting such establishments either.

"There is nothing under the Doing Business In Winnipeg bylaws and nothing under the zoning bylaws that would regulate this," the spokesperon said.

Winnipeg police declined to comment at this time.