Pot smoking is now legal in Ontario anywhere firing up a cigarette is permitted — as long as you’re 19 or older, not toking in a car or a boat or within 20 metres of a playground or school.Premier Doug Ford’s government passed legislation Wednesday on the sale and use of recreational cannabis.But the historic vote took place amid concerns there are too few restrictions on where to light up, leaving people vulnerable to second-hand smoke.“Our number one priority is to make sure our children are safe, make sure we keep it away from schools, and make sure we let municipalities decide if they’re even going to sell it, where they can smoke it,” the premier said.The bill passed 17 hours after recreational marijuana became legal across the country at 12:01 a.m., creating a sales frenzy.Ford joked with New Democrat MPPs during the vote after he pretended to roll a joint with a sheet of office paper.“You know exactly what I was doing,” he called across the aisle with a laugh.The NDP and Liberals voted against Bill 36, with the exception of former Grit cabinet minister Michael Coteau (Don Valley East).Cities and towns have until Jan. 22 to decide if they will ban privately-run marijuana stores from opening within their boundaries once shops become legal in the province next April. The government expects as many as 1,000 stores to open after licence applications are screened. Until then, the only legal channel to buy weed is online through the Ontario Cannabis Store.Municipalities can also pass bylaws limiting where citizens can light up a joint.Critics said the law sends a “mixed message” on intoxicants by allowing users to smoke pot and get high in a park, for example, but not to legally drink a beer there.“They’ve opened up a whole other can of worms,” said Green party MPP Mike Schreiner, who voted in favour of the bill despite his concerns because it opens opportunities for entrepreneurs to o ...
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