Cappella Sistina said:
You cant walk into a liquor store, buy a bottle of Jack Daniels, and start drinking it in the store. Why should mmj patients/users get exceptions?
Not all analogies are perfect representations - this one, like most, is inaccurate.
If you are comparing MMJ to medicine, then you CAN walk into a CVS/RiteAid/Walgreens pharmacy, fill your prescription and use the medicine in the store.
If you are comparing MMJ to recreational drugs, a liquor license is all that is required to sell alcohol on your premises, be you a liquor store, bar, or restaurant. There is no separate legal stipulation (that I am aware of) that separates bars and restaurants from allowing patrons to imbibe alcohol on the premises but prevents customers at liquor stores from opening a bottle of Jack after paying for it. I think the only reason you don't see it is because it isn't socially acceptable to start drinking while standing at the front of a store after your purchase. Further, many liquor stores have sampling/tasting events in the front of their store to increase sales of their products.
If you are comparing MMJ to other smoking drugs, there exist many cigar bars where you can order a cigar and smoke it on the premises in a relaxed setting.
If you are more worldly (not that you aren't), you would note that in some other countries there are "hash bars" where you can order marijuana and smoke it on the premises.
I would think that from the State's perspective, if they are allowing prescription MMJ, then the things they would fear would be re-distribution, especially to minors or those without a prescription. Therefore smoking at the dispensary would prevent redistribution to some extent. Further, currently marijuana is listed on the Schedule I drugs because it 'poses high potential for misuse'. While this is a ridiculous term, using it in a professional setting such as a dispensary would likely limit the potential for 'misuse', just as a bartender is supposed to watch your liquor intake and cut you off once you have passed an acceptable social limit.
Lets get this back on topic: Toronto Hemp Expo next week... who's going?
