New Delhi: The University of British Columbia in Canada may become the first varsity in the world to legalise pot smoking on campus and would set up dedicated gazebos for the purpose.
Following legalisation of the possession and sale of recreational cannabis in Canada last month, the university committee has come up with a draft policy titled “Smoking and Smoking Product Promotion on Campus”.
The draft policy has been put up for community consultation and a final call on it is likely to be taken in February.
“We believe that when you criminalise any activity that people are engaging in any way, all you do is drive the behaviour underground. However, that doesn’t mean that everything and anything can be decriminalised. Hence, the policy will take into account that the decorum of the campus is also maintained,” Hubert Lai, University of British Columbia’s (UBC) counsel, told PTI in an e-mail interview.
According to the policy, smoking of cannabis will be prohibited anywhere on the campus except in designated smoking gazebos. Both cultivation and sale of cannabis will be prohibited on campus.
“An individual on campus may not possess cannabis in amount that is greater than the amount set out by federal law, which is the equivalent of 30g of dried cannabis or 450g of cannabis edibles.
“Cannabis may be stored in residence in your private space in your bedroom as long as all storage containers are clearly labelled as containing cannabis or cannabis product and are stored in such a way as to not create nuisance to other residents,” Lai said.
Smoking of cannabis will not be allowed in classrooms, student residences, UBC vehicles, bus shelters and other such areas on campus.
According to the policy, the university employees are required to refrain from the use of any impairing substance, including alcohol and cannabis, during or prior to work hours.
“Although medical authorisation to use cannabis does not include a right to consume cannabis at work or arrive to work impaired, employees who are prescribed cannabis for medical purposes and seek, or require, an accommodation should advise their supervisor. Any unauthorised or unapproved use of cannabis prior to or during work hours will not be tolerated and may result in discipline,” Lai said.
“However, in accordance with federal law, individuals who are over 19 years of age may share or give away cannabis to other individuals who are over 19 years of age, as long as the amount of cannabis given away doesn’t exceed the amount that such an individual is allowed to possess,” Lai added.
