For patients who posses a medical cannabis licence, from California to Nevada, and even further afield, taking medicine can be an issue
If you’re a medical cannabis patient you’ll know the problems associated with lighting up in public. And it’s not just a stinky joint that you have to worry about, as many patients vaporize or use edibles to treat their various medical conditions.
Seeing as medical cannabis is legal across many US states, led by California and Colorado, not to mention most of Canada, you’d think it would be accepted practice for someone to take their medicine as and when and where they want to. But that’s not the case, as decades of prohibition and taboos surrounding cannabis have made most people paranoid.
Sadly, most states in America, while they differ in some ways, share one thing in common; smoking cannabis in public is forbidden. While Colorado passed legislation permitting private venues to allow smoking in separated spaces, with a permit, that’s not the same for other states or provinces.
In Canada, laws surrounding public cannabis consumption can be equated to the attitude and laws there regarding cigarette smoking. But the major difference is that cigarettes are dangerous and damaging to health, while cannabis, according to many experts, is not only safe but actually healthy for those who need it.
While smoking cannabis in public is a no no, the police in most places won’t do much to enforce the law, unless of course people are hanging out in a kids park getting high
If, as a patient, you are at a loss as to how to take your medicine in public, you might want to consider taking the medicine in its oil, topical, edible or liquid form. That way, there is little-to-no paranoia for the patient when taking their medicine.
If you have no choice but to smoke or vaporize your medicine in a public setting. it’s well worth sticking to a couple of logical principles to stay safe and out of jail.
Firstly, if you do need to medicate publicly, do it in a stealthy and not so obvious way. Stand to the side of the venue you are at, and don’t go there with 6 of your buddies making a ruckus and giggling a bunch.
Secondly, if you don’t want a dense, stinky cannabis cloud following you around, consider a vape pen, which contains highly concentrated cannabis extract, which has some strong effects for most.
If you are a medical cannabis patient, we advise that you don’t smoke and drive. If your car smells of cannabis and you are pulled by the cops, you have nowhere to run or hide. So if you are going for a drive somewhere, medicate before you start the journey, and your car clean!
Whatever you do, until attitudes to cannabis change significantly, you are always going to be watching your step and stating as safe as possible, while you find the right place and time to consume your medicinal cannabis.
