How prevalent/accepted is marijuana use in your city or community? Many people think that it is most common in BC (and maybe it is) but it is certainly very common and accepted here in NS as well. In other cities I've been to, Edmonton for example, it seems to be more frowned upon. Does anyone have statistics related to marijuana/drug use in major urban centres across Canada?

It's most accepted in quebec ;)

My city seems to be against. Of course, this is a pretty fucked up, backwards burg, isn't it!

I support it, the government could make billions.

Just about everybody in Kitchener-Waterloo smokes it. ;)

The attitude in Calgary is a little strange. I think most people would hesitate to support legalizing marajuana, but at the same time they could care less if their neighbours were smoking the stuff.

I am fully for legalizing and regulating marajuana myself, even though I will probably never touch it. Not only would the government make a ton of money off it, but it would provide jobs to growers and reduce organized crime. When the government can prove that Marajuana-users actually harm other people, I will drop my libertarian stance on the issue.

you can see people smoking it in the streets, cops sees them and don't do shit or pretend they didn't see it.

Its not generalized tho, but people usually wants it to be legalized or decriminilized.

In afterhours clubs, its the rule, lots smoke it.

I had lived in NYC for 20 years before moving to Canada. The tolerance of the drug in this country is still astounding even after 7 years of living here . . . Montreal especially.

Pot is cool, just don't smoke cigarettes. Its basicly legal in Vancouver if ur just smoking it; the police might take it away if your too conspicuous.

The common pothead stereotype of BC and Vancouver is very true. Just about everybody I know smokes weed, even people that I would have never thought do. blue collar workers such as mechanics/people in construction etc.are probably the most prevalent pot smokers.

People in BC generally don't look down on pot smokers, it is seen as something positive that helps you unwind, much the same way a beer does after a long hard day at work.

When i lived in Ontario, all of my friends smoked. Most were leery of doing it in public. Now living in BC all my friends smoke and no one cares if its in public!

I regularly see people smoking a joint on the streets of Montreal. You could be walking on St-Laurent Blvd. and get a wiff of it, and you cross someone who's smoking a joint like it was a normal cigarette. You don't even have to hide it, cops don't really care either.

phhfff in Vancouver weed is everywere. all my friends do it(and i only do it on special ocasions). everyone knows all the big dealers at my school. hell some of the teachers even openly say that they smoke it.

I think marijuana got a bum rap. Somehow it has been thrown in with the hard drugs in the eyes of the government, a categorization it doesn't deserve imo.

Here in Berkeley going after pot users is a low priority for the police. I don't see/smell it being used very often.

I'm also in favor of legalization. I know the State of California spends millions of $$$ each year on its marijuana eradication program. A waste of funds and personnel, I think. :down:

My guess is that if we weren't so close to the U.S., Canada would have made Pot legal by now!

I think it is pretty much the same across the country. The police have better things to do than worry about a couple of harmless people smoking pot, so they just pretend they didnt see anything. If you start to stand out they will bust you.

^ I doubt it's the same across the country, or even in the same city. Nobody really cares, true, but you won't see public pot use to the same level in every part of the city. E.g. in Kensington, it's rare NOT to see people light up, but in Yorkville, the story's a bit different--people there would rather not be seen lighting up.

Here in Edmonton some guys where growing it right in front of Police HQ's. The cops saw it everyday and did not care so long as it was only a couple plants. Also many times guys smoke it at the Legislature and the cops never care. Basically you cna do it in the open on Whyte Ave for instance and the cops walking past you dont care.

But there is an exception. If you are going past the cops and looking for trouble then they will stop you and charge you for possession. For instance I know a guy going past the cops, giving them the finger and yelling pigs at them. Then ran a stop sign just off of Whyte. The cops decided to pull him over and did charge him for possession but he was asking for it based on his behavior.

I think marijuana got a bum rap. Somehow it has been thrown in with the hard drugs in the eyes of the government, a categorization it doesn't deserve imo.

Here in Berkeley going after pot users is a low priority for the police. I don't see/smell it being used very often.

I'm also in favor of legalization. I know the State of California spends millions of $$$ each year on its marijuana eradication program. A waste of funds and personnel, I think. :down:

Don't know if anyone here has heard the movie "Reefer Madness". It's a (now hilarious) movie/documantary made in the 20's or 30's about the evils of the 'devils weed'. It's a purely propaganda film but it probably worked very well at the time. That's where alot of the bad rap came from.

Good movie to watch as a special interest but you can generally only find it in alternative movie joints (Queen Video to all the Toronto posters).

P.S. For the tokers out there, don't bother. It is a documentary after all, and is rather slow paced. Would put you to sleep....trust me :laugh:

Pot use is quite open and tolerated in North Bay, there are grow-ops all over the place and at one point the city (pop. 56,000) had 6 head shops! Now it's down to 4, and there are also several hydroponics shops in town that get a lot of business if you get my drift. Me personally -- I don't touch the stuff.

A friend, whom I drove to work and back, used to give me a joint or two every so often if he was short on cash. That was ages ago. I haven't done any of that since.

Good movie to watch as a special interest but you can generally only find it in alternative movie joints (Queen Video to all the Toronto posters).I bought it at Musicworld for about 8$. It's actually breaking out into the mainstream (as a comedy of course).
I could probably count the people I know (around my age) who don't smoke weed on one hand. Might not even need the thumb.

Here's a marijuana store at downtown Hamilton. I call it a pot shop.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/Appster/DCP_1801.jpg

It's kinda funny to walk by the place as all you can smell is dope lol.

There's been many times that I've walked around the city and people just smoke dope as if it's like cigarette.

Do you ever hear ads on the radio for Marijuana stores and paraphernalia?

In Vancouver I often hear ads for products such as duchmaster superbud its slogan is "grow big, duchmaster big". And smoke shops that advertise them selves as "Vancouver's favorite Joint". They certainly aren't shy about what they are selling, although none of them actually claim to sell pot most do.

If you want Marijuana in Vancouver you don't need to look to far. All though I don't smoke weed I am proud that Vancouver and BC has such an imfamous reputation.

do you have any pics of Vancouver pot shops?

Couple in TO.

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/8652/pict23354jo.jpg

http://img134.echo.cx/img134/8189/pict17035xy.jpg

http://img137.echo.cx/img137/789/pict16716sv.jpg

Vancouver
http://www.cannabisculture.com/forums/uploads/995823-New%20Amsterdam%20Cafe.jpg

http://www.cannabisculture.com/library/images/uploads/4029-Da-Kine-3_Scott-Hearty.jpghttp://www.cbc.ca/gfx/photos/dakine_cafe040901.jpg
This one sells pot in the store, it was shut down but its open again.

you bunch of hippies. pot is gross and smells nasty.

As long as I don't have to walk behind them, I dont really care. I would rather walk behind someone smoking a cigar (yes a cigar) rather than someone smoking pot, as its quite nauseating...

i bought weed in a store today

There's this one here for "Green Wonder Hydroponics". I forget the actual ad but it definitely sounds like something straight out of GTA (the video game, not Toronto).

There are SO many pluses to legalizing Marijuana (I don't smoke it btw).
The tourism factor ALONE would be INSANE. People would FLOCK from all parts of the world, especially the States to take advantage.

Canada's government is retarded.

No kidding^^ we have seen that prohibition does not work!

There are SO many pluses to legalizing Marijuana (I don't smoke it btw).
The tourism factor ALONE would be INSANE. People would FLOCK from all parts of the world, especially the States to take advantage.

Canada's government is retarded.

Well. . .I agree with you but there's one major problem. The U.S. government would go ballistic and it's generally not in Canada's best interest to piss off the American Government too much. . .unless you're Jean Chretien.

Could you imagine the line-ups at the border and the frisking. . .think about the frisking and searches. Ugh

The border would be insane if weed was legal. IMO the only reason it won't be is sharing a border with the US.

fuck the usa (on this one) they have no right to make that descion for us!!!

weed is for kids, real men take crystal meth ;)
seriously what is the deal with Tina and the West? Heard that small towns in Alberta and in interior BC are really suffering from this scourge.

Couple in TO.

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/8652/pict23354jo.jpg

http://img134.echo.cx/img134/8189/pict17035xy.jpg

http://img137.echo.cx/img137/789/pict16716sv.jpg


None of these places actually sell weed though...just the paraphanalia, right?

weed is for kids, real men take crystal meth ;)
seriously what is the deal with Tina and the West? Heard that small towns in Alberta and in interior BC are really suffering from this scourge.

Seems to be the new drug fad of the generation. During the 70's it was the LSD scare, than in the 80's it was crack, 90's was Ecstacy and I guess 2000's is Crystal. The big pattern with all of the above drugs is that they are chemically alterted/made. That is the scariest part of it. I really am not too worried if someone does a drug that is of natural sources, but when you start adding to it, and usually making it more addictive in the process, that shit is really scary and very easily destroys lives.

Either way, who knows what wonderful concoction our friendly neigbhbourhood drug dealer will come out for 2010.

fuck the usa (on this one) they have no right to make that descion for us!!!

Yes!!! I agree!!!...Who do the Americans think they are..God's Gift to Mankind????!!!!! If we Legalize weed...I don't care if there is huge North American Revolution...I will fight so that Canada can make their own decisions...If the US don't like it, Come ON DOWN...I will have a big surprise for any one that opposes Canadians!!!!

Of all the things we can get into a fight with the USA, is it really worth fighting over Marijuana which only 10% of the population uses?
Seriously now, we are against USA at the moment with:
Iraqi War (Ignoring)
Marijuana laws (Ignoring)
Lumber/Nafta (Heated battle)
Alaskan Oil Drilling (Heated battle)
Cross Border Identity cards (Heated battle)
Mad Cow (Resolved)
Anti Missile Shield (To be continued...)

We are for them in:
Aghan war
??
??

Think from the Canadian Government point of view. They are fighting the States on so many fronts right now. We have fairly good arguments on many fronts that even many Americans would side with us. But Marijuana laws would break our country. Very few USA (not all) would side with us, our borders would be sealed shut, and Canada would lose 10's of thousands of jobs. We'd instantly fall in a recession. Anyone who works or their parents works in a company that does trade with the USA can start getting that resumen out because they may lose their jobs.

I'm sorry, but It's not worth it. Besides, the government has made a compromise already. Do you think it's coincidence that coffee shops are springing up. You don't think they are looking the other way. And you don't think USA knows about what's going on here? They are looking the other way too.
It's all hush hush now. We smoke our weed in a quasi-legal/illegal state where it is next to legal as long as you don't say it is. Don't you think this is a fair enough compromise for now?

None of these places actually sell weed though...just the paraphanalia, right?

I could be wrong but I don't think any stores other than a few in Vancouver accuttaly sell pot. Im sure if you go into one of those Toronto stores some one could point you in the direction of a dealer.

all hail vancouver, but that emery guy is still a douche

I've never met the man, but he seems obsessed with getting marijuana legalized. Pretty brave, the fact he's basically sacrificing himself for the cause.

It's pretty frowned upon around here; lots of people do it, and most don't connect it to some crazy drug addiction....but it's seen as being sort of trashy.

You Canadians are crazy! If I walked down the street smoking pot, I would be arrested. A store selling marijuana is crazy and unthinkable here also. And I live in one of the more liberal areas in America.

^ Are you serious? You would actually be arrested for smoking pot? That seems kinda harsh don't you think?

But Marijuana laws would break our country. Very few USA (not all) would side with us, our borders would be sealed shut, and Canada would lose 10's of thousands of jobs. We'd instantly fall in a recession.
lol dude the border wouldn't be sealed shut. do you know how much the US depends on canada for imports and for buying their exports? they're obviosly not as reliant on trade as we are, but their economy would still go down the crapper if they shut the border. the president might huff and puff, but corporate america would never let it get beyond that.

excuse the pun :tongue3:

You Canadians are crazy! If I walked down the street smoking pot, I would be arrested. A store selling marijuana is crazy and unthinkable here also. And I live in one of the more liberal areas in America.

Yeah, in July I was smoking with some friends on a padio in Toronto's Annex neighbourhood. We were sitting right on the outside row of tables that border on the sidewalk. Four cops walked by us at 12:30 at night, looked strait at us and then continued on without skipping a beat. They were within 3 feet of us and the stuff was extra rank to boot.

In my experience, not that I smoke up alot is that the worst case scenerio in Toronto is that they will make you dump your stuff and let you walk without much of a hassel. A little weed is not worth the governments attention here as long as one is not stupid about it.

They need to legalize marijuana. Atleast in Toronto. And cigarretes should be banned.

How hypocritical is that. Legalize one drug but make another illegal because you happen not to like it. That's a huge double standard. Better argument would be to have both illegal or vice versa.

They need to legalize marijuana. Atleast in Toronto. And cigarretes should be banned.


Legalization would not be a good idea IMO.

Decriminalizaion would.

I say hurry up and legalize it! Take a lesson from Holland or two. Legal over there and they have no problems with neighbouring countries. It's obvious that there are no negative effects from smoking it compared to tobacco, which is literally a hundred plus times worse. Whats keeping them from doing it?

I say hurry up and legalize it! Take a lesson from Holland or two. Legal over there and they have no problems with neighbouring countries. It's obvious that there are no negative effects from smoking it compared to tobacco, which is literally a hundred plus times worse. Whats keeping them from doing it?

Their neighbouring counties aren't run by arrogant assholes.

pot is not very big here and no one cares about because every one does it ( Except me ) . Crystal Meth is an issue here and I think they should give dealer 15 years in jail

Yeah, in July I was smoking with some friends on a padio in Toronto's Annex neighbourhood. We were sitting right on the outside row of tables that border on the sidewalk. Four cops walked by us at 12:30 at night, looked strait at us and then continued on without skipping a beat. They were within 3 feet of us and the stuff was extra rank to boot.

In my experience, not that I smoke up alot is that the worst case scenerio in Toronto is that they will make you dump your stuff and let you walk without much of a hassel. A little weed is not worth the governments attention here as long as one is not stupid about it.

A while back i was attending a punk show late at night in an old garage in a downtown neighbourhood. The garage was full of about 100 people and the air was absolutely thick with pot smoke. The last band was playing away and all of a sudden two cops peeked their heads through the door, and looked around. The band finished the song and one of the cops said that someone had complained about the noise -- not only was the garage billowing pot smoke but many of the people attending were teenagers, and yet the cops merely looked at the crowd with a sort of bemused look. To my amazement they left after giving the band permission to play the last few songs of their set. They said nothing about the pot whatsoever.

^ :lol: What are two cops going to do in a room full of teenagers who are not really doing anything to bother anybody else?

The whole hype about pot has been caused by the War on Drugs programs. If it isn't demonized, then people will be less likely to commit crimes in situations involving it.

We shouldn't have separate drug laws than the US just because of the border hassles it would cause. Everything needs to be done to smooth trade flow at the border but different drug laws would only slow things down - and I don't believe any tourism increase would offset that problem.

^Canada is suppost to be a free and independant nation. As such, what we decide to do with our public policy is none of Uncle Sam's busness. Decriminalization allows for a judicial system that does not get bogged down by teenagers who got caught with the pot.

Just because America does not share that sensibility does not mean that we should follow just because it is convinent.

I say wait untill the Democrates are in office in the USA then decriminalize it. They won't like it either but Bush is likly to invade us if we did it now.

I think Marajuana should be leagalized WORLD WIDE!! (420 Rocks)