Sadankata

I suppose there are two ways to think about marijuana in the wake of legalization. One was to think about it is that it’s just like cigarettes; addictive but not a social crutch. Smoking is not allowed in practically all indoor spaces, but anyone can pop a cig in public. Drivers opening their windows a smidgen to get the smoke out is a common winter sight. There’s warnings everywhere about the dangers of smoking, but it you’re seen smoking outside no big deal – life goes on.

The other way to think about it is like alcohol. People drink, some people have religious opposition to drinking. It’s socially acceptable to not be a drinker. We have licensed liquor stores, and even accept some alcohol at work functions, but everyone agrees that (i) it can be intoxicating when one consumes beyond a particular quantity, and (ii) certain things are not to be done in conjunction with drinking. This set of activities includes driving, operating heavy machinery, and any serious work. In most jurisdictions, drinking in public is illegal and where it’s not, it’s frowned upon. Generally, if you found someone walking down the street at 1000 sipping from an open bottle of gin, you would give them a wide berth.

(Smoking) marijuana doesn’t fall neatly into those buckets. We generally agree it’s intoxicating (so not like a cigarette), but it’s also socially acceptable in large urban cities to smoke on the street. What then?