Canadian Police Urge People to Stop Calling Them About Cannabis

In what is perhaps a good reminder that officers of the law also benefit when cannabis is legalized, the Toronto police force celebrated Canada’s new weed state by laying out a sassy new awareness campaign aimed at your insufferable nosy neighbor. “Asking what to do with your frozen meat during a power outage is not a 911 call,” tweeted the police force in a series of multimedia posts on Tuesday. “Smelling weed coming from your neighbour’s home isn’t either.”

The cops’ pointers are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the massive cultural shift taking place in the country of 36.29 million, where marijuana became legal for possession, sale, and cultivation on Wednesday after Parliament passed Bill C-45 this summer. Canadians may also have to become accustomed to the fact that marijuana products are probably at the top of many of their loved ones’ holiday gift lists—Canada’s census organization has estimated that there will be some $1.02 billion in sales of weed substance by the end of 2018. On a more serious note, governmental organization Health Canada has launched a reasoned campaign that aims to educate teenagers on important subjects like driving while under the influence of weed.

Canadian cops are still prohibited from on-the-job toking, but cities like Vancouver, Ottawa, Regina, and Montreal have made it clear that officers are allowed to consume marijuana when they are not on duty. The Canadian military has okay’d the usage of green for soldiers as long as it is not within eight hours of reporting for service. But such permissiveness is not the case everywhere. Calgary has taken a zero tolerance policy on stoner cops, which the police officers’ union has made clear it will fight. Toronto police will not be allowed to consume marijuana within 28 days of serving on active duty.

One hopes that Canadian law officers will now find themselves with more time to deal with important issues well beyond leafy green horticulture—despite the re-training challenges that will need to be undertaken by K-9 units. As police chief Mark Saunders explained, the shift occasions a learning opportunity for all involved. “This change represents a significant transition, not just for members of the Toronto Police Service but for all Canadians,” said Saunders. “Going forward it is important for everyone to take the time to educate themselves on legalisation.”

The police officers’ campaign seems to have a good time breaking down a list of time-wasting reasons to bother Canadian 911 operators, including an adult smoking a joint, neighbors growing marijuana, needing directions because you took a wrong turn on the freeway, and running out of minutes on one’s phone. Let this be a reminder to be considerate of emergency operators’ time!

The post Canadian Police Urge People to Stop Calling Them About Cannabis appeared first on High Times.

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