'It's a great move': Yukoners asked for advice on legal pot rules

A Yukon government online survey will help officials develop the laws, guidelines and policies for the legal use of marijuana, according to justice minister Tracy-Anne McPhee.

"Well, we think it is incredibly important that we develop policy and ultimately guidelines and laws based on what Yukoners are feeling are their priorities and what is important to them," said McPhee.

"And we need to ask them what those things are and be responsive," she said.

The federal government has promised to legalize cannabis use by next summer.

The territories and provinces have to decide what the rules should be in their individual jurisdictions.

"Things like how and where it can be sold, where it can be consumed, issues around workplace safety and impaired driving and the age of people who can legally use cannabis, those kind of things." said McPhee.

Those questions and others are on the government's online survey.

On Main Street in Whitehorse there's a mixed reaction.

Brendan Morton is a user.

"It's kind of something that, you know, helps take off the edge of everything and helps you get through stuff," said Morton.

He prefers that the sale of marijuana be regulated.

"What we would actually need would be more like a dispensary with, like, everything working in one area, like a central one," he said.

Bret Harper, on the other hand, sees lots of negatives with legalizing use.

"The reliability of people in the workplace based on this stuff, because there's now freedom to be able to use the stuff.

"I don't think it's been really thought through," he said.

"As any law changes we're going to learn from this, probably a lot worse things than we're expecting," said Harper.

Gurdeep Pandher sees nothing to be worried about.

"It's a great move, it's working great in Alaska, our neighbours, I think it can work in Yukon too," said Pandher.

The online survey can be taken until Sept.30. The webpage says results will be posted by Nov. 15.