See the little photo at the top of this column? That woman, apparently, will be part of a major target demographic when recreational cannabis is legalized in Canada this summer.
Yes, for middle aged women, pot is reportedly going to be all the rage.
I’m paraphrasing, obviously, but that was one of the observations made by Barinder Rasode, CEO of NICHE and former Surrey city councillor, who spoke on the subject at the May dinner meeting of the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce.
We — and, yes, I fit that description as one of my table mates was quick to point out with a chuckle — will be among the fastest growing groups when it comes to cannabis use, she predicted.
She may well be correct. More than likely, if women begin to partake only after they’ve reached “a certain age,” it will have as much to do with the aches and pains associated with gravity and growing older as it will with any desire to party like it’s 1969.
Personally, it’s not my thing. And I highly doubt it ever will be (see what I did there?) but I can understand the appeal for anyone who is feeling the effects of age or infirmity. I have no doubt that the medicinal benefits are as advertised by people who use cannabis for a wide range of maladies.
This new law, however, aims to make life easier for people who want to get high recreationally.
I’m still deciding how to feel about that. And, no, it’s not an issue of judgment or morality. As the kids say, ‘you do you.’
My chief worry is the potential for harm to innocent victims as more and more people use drugs and get behind the wheel.
Rasode has done her homework on cannabis and has identified herself as an advocate of legalized recreational marijuana.
So, when asked by an audience member about the risk of people driving high, she replied that, reliable sobriety test or no, officers can generally tell when a driver is impaired by alcohol or drugs and can be taken off the road.
This presupposes the person will be pulled over before they pile their car into a tree or another vehicle, or mow down a pedestrian or cyclist. The truth is enforcement is going to be both challenging and costly.
My objections are, of course, moot since it’s a done deal. As Rasode noted, Justin Trudeau’s election was a clear mandate for legal weed.
Now it’s time to figure out how to properly manage it. This, according to Rasode, is where much of the country is falling behind, whether it be businesses or lower levels of government.
Not knowing what the final regulations will look like is not an excuse to be completely unprepared, she said, equating the notion with an expectant parent refusing to buy a crib or car seat before knowing the gender of the baby.
Right now, the whole situation is still a little hazy. In fact, Rasode told the crowd that legalization of recreational marijuana is going to look very different five years down the road than it will on the day it takes effect.
Taking that a step further, she predicted that within 10 years cannabis will be considered a natural health product and conversations around marijuana will be similar to the way we talk about coffee today.
Perhaps. For now, though, it’s probably best to approach the topic with an open mind and ask a lot of questions.
“People are still nervous about asking questions,” said Rasode.
Whether it’s about the potential health and social impacts of legalization, the potential for sky-high tax revenue from legal sales, new jobs in the fields of science, production or transportation, problems entering the U.S. or any other potential effects, in order for people to make informed decisions about their own behaviour, they’re going to need answers from the people making the decisions.
And they’re going to need them soon.
