BuzzOn pot smoking lounge opens in Vanier

A bring-your-own marijuana vapourizing lounge has opened in Vanier to those willing to pay a $5 cover fee to socialize with other pot smokers, following the lead of other Canadian cities, including Toronto, Halifax and Winnipeg.

BuzzOn provides customers withvapourizer machines, which heats the marijuana enough to release the THC, the active ingredient in the plant, without burning the stems andbuds. Users inhale the THC coming out of the machine through a plastic bag.

Manager Wayne Robillardsaid that while it'sillegal to use marijuana unless you have a medical prescription, everyone is welcome. The house rules areno tobacco, alcohol or drug dealing.

"It's the same reason people would go to a bar they want to be around other people who are drinking, and it's the same kind of concept here," he said.

I suspect if we do get into legal predicaments, we'll have a lot of help.- BuzzOn manager WayneRobillard

Robillard, 51, said he'sbeen smoking pot for decades.

"We look at it as a form of protest, to be quite honest with you. I've been smoking marijuana for almost 40 years. I've never been prescribed a licence. I asked my doctor, my doctor refused," he said.

Lounge not violating bylaw, zoning

Robillardsaid he believes thepolitical climate is now favourable for apot lounge it's the first in Ottawa but not the first in Canadaand even invited Ottawa police to check out the business on Monday.

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Police did not comment on the lounge other than to say information about it has beenpassed on to the appropriate people.

"We certainly are unaware of what exactly isgoing to happen, I'm not gonna lie," Robillard said."But it's amazing, all the lounges in Ontario and the people withinthis community do tend tobandtogether. AndI suspect if we do get into legal predicaments, we'll have a lot of help."

The City of Ottawa'ssmoke-free regulationsonlyaddresstobacco and tobacco products, saidRoger Chapman, thechief ofBylaw and Regulatory Services.

CitycouncillorJan Harder said Tuesdaythat the use of marijuana for recreational purposes is a police matter, not a city matter. She saidthe building that houses BuzzOn is zoned as a"place of assembly," and as such is not violating the city's Planning Act.

BuzzOn is owned by a numbered company.