The Canadian Medical Marihuana Access Regulations are a complicated maze to maneuver through. A common question is: Where can I medicate? Patients really must think of themselves as just that: patients who are using doctor-prescribed medicine, as opposed to the recreational cannabis consumer. While there should be no shame in medicating when and in the manner that best suits your needs, you must consider how your medicine affects those around you. An example would be a diabetic, who can and should give themselves insulin injections as needed, where needed. However, injecting themselves at the dinner table or in the middle of a business meeting isn't appropriate; many individuals get more than a little freaked out at the sight of someone sticking themselves with a needle, even if it's for an acceptable purpose. Most likely, you'd have to excuse yourself to the bathroom or a similar private location. You should consider treating your cannabis therapeutics as such; respect others and respect your own privacy when it comes to your health. Source: http://www.medicalmarijuanacure.com/benefits-of-marijuana Technically, the MMAR allows for patients to partake of their smoked cannabis medicine anywhere it's legally acceptable to smoke tobacco. These days there are almost no indoor locations that allow smoking indoors, so this regulates legal cannabis consumers to outdoor smoking areas and the occasional ventilated smoking room. However, while some municipalities allow for smoking tobacco on outdoor restaurant/bar patios, some establishment owners have resisted cannabis consumers doing the same. In fact, there's a Human Rights Tribunal hearing in progress in Ontario relating specifically to licensed cannabis consumers' right to possess and consume in areas where tobacco smokers can smoke in licensed, outdoor settings. I'll be sure to keep you updated as to the progress of this case. In the meantime, the key to consuming in public and semi-public areas is that you respect those around you. Don't light up when there are children nearby. Try not to blow it in people's faces, or stand near open doorways and vents. Never share your medicine with anyone (you shouldn't be doing that at any time) and do yourself a big favor and always leave the house with your Health Canada card on your person. Just the smell alone could raise the ire of the wrong person and next thing you know, you'll have to explain the situation to law enforcement. Without your card, you're no more protected from arrest than the recreational consumer (even if you can beat the charges later, you don't want to have to go to court at all). The smell can also attract unwanted attention from criminals who would use the opportunity to harass or even rob you. Do you really want to have to explain your private health issues with a stranger for the umpteenth time? Lastly, unless you're at a rally or protest of some sort and/or you know you're surrounded by like-minded folk, I'd avoid smoking in public while decked out in a bunch of 420 gear (e.g. pot leaves, Rasta colors, stoner logos, etc.). Again, most likely you'll not run into trouble, but why take the chance? If you're dealing with some sort of chronic illness (which you are, or you wouldn't have a license in the first place), can you really afford to expend the energy required to deal with either law enforcement or the general public hassling you? It depends on tolerance level of where you are. For instance, while walking down the street smoking a joint may not attract too much negative attention in Vancouver or Montreal, it very well could in cities like Calgary or Saskatoon. So if you want to save yourself some trouble, keep this in mind: JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN, DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD.
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