Dear Editor:
It appears that Oct. 17 will mark a historic moment for Canada. The legalization of recreational cannabis should make the prophetic Doug ”Stone Dan” Pederson ecstatic. Instead of making Osoyoos the home of the “Pot Hall of Fame,” as Doug has suggested, perhaps we should consider setting sights higher and aim for “Cannabis Capital of Canada.”
Osoyoos is stunted and starving for innovative leadership to renew a vibrant retail sector. Healthy growth of the 80s is gone.
Adding a licensed cannabis retailer is a plus and kudos to present Osoyoos councillors for moving forward with rezoning, ahead of other municipalities in British Columbia.
Why not go further?
It’s time to diversify from vineyards and wine tastings and seize the opportunity to take part in the significant multibillion-dollar industry that is legal cannabis.
A reliance upon tourism to fill beds with heads in this community demands new reasons for off-season visits. Engage Destination Osoyoos and large-scale growers in Oliver area to offer cannabis conventions for industry players and public.
Let’s offer general seminars to the locals and visitors to dispel unfounded fears. These could take the shape of a weekend package pot-a-thon at our resort hotels.
Let’s educate folks on the history of cannabis, dispel myths, and teach wide variety of uses and benefits, including myriad medical applications for chronic diseases and aging.
Bobbie Fischer, M.D.
Osoyoos, B.C.
So the “Cannabis Capital of Canada” and a “pot-a-thon” is what you’re advocating. Well that just sounds great. So for the entire summer you’re happy with the motel strip smelling like a 420 festival. What if you’re a guest paying peak rates who doesn’t want the smell of pot wafting through your room? What if you don’t want your kids inhaling second hand pot smoke? And let’s be honest here, it’s not just the smell of the smoke it’s the smell of those who partake. Ever taken public transit and been stuck next to a dope smoker? They reek. I hope you’re the one sitting in the restaurant booth next to a group of people who just toked up in their car before they walked through the door.
If legalisation means that it takes the industry out of the hands of gangs and whatnot then so be it. What it’s not going to dramatically change is the number of people who use it. I’m not going to start just because it’s legal and that seems to be the general concensus amongst my peers. And let’s be honest here, pot hasn’t exactly been a difficult substance to get ahold of despite being ‘illegal’.
I didn’t move to Osoyoos to live in the “Cannabis Capital of Canada” and I think if you took a poll of the residents here the results would be overwhelmingly of the same opinion. As for offering seminars for the locals I think there’s better chance of getting them to enter a marathon than partake in a pot-a-thon.
John couldn’t be more wrong on everything..
500,000 Canadians with criminal records because of pot and their friends would know better and totally disagree with you on everything..
Diesel fumes and the summer smoke are a thousand times worse
Pot fumes cure and medicate..
Not gangs but our friends.
Nope John; you are PotStupid.
I wonder how many of the fires this past summer were caused by the careless tossing of a roach. And “pot fumes cure and medicate”? Yeah sure, because that’s exactly what second hand smoke is known to do. Also good to hear you support gang activity.
Nope Doug, you’re the one who’s high. Way too high.
Well stated! Totally agree with your comments.
If u don’t like it..too bad. I would suggest you move to Japan, China or Singapore as these are the holes on the planet with the same attitude towards cannabis as yourself John.
Your fellow citizens (majority) have voted..have spoken – its a done deal & not everyones cup of tea but then again neither is alcohol or nicotine and am sure you’ll agree with me that the stench of fresh/day old alcohol on someone’s breath or the vile stink of cigarette breath in your face is not too appealing either. Fact of life, get over it.
John: This isn’t rocket science. I understand that those of us at a certain age are somewhat resistant to big changes. And legal pot is one of them. Who’d have thought that Indians (the menu of names here is long) would be producing great wines after those old days when they wouldn’t be served in the LCB? The world moves on, and there’s no way to keep our little part unchanged. Less criticism is beneficial to your health, unless you can provide peer-reviewed evidence. I’ll grant that. Now that the stuff is legal, it’ll be as popular as beer. And, why not? Heck, in a decade or few, it’ll be a moot point to us anyway! But, if you’re going to try it, start with a vaporizer, I’ve heard edibles aren’t best for that.