Darrell Davis: The Cannabis Cup

Grey Cup had a distinctive new aroma this year.

The smell of marijuana was everywhere. In the concourses of Commonwealth Stadium, while the Calgary Stampeders were beating the Ottawa Redblacks, smoke drifted upwards from groups of fans. On the streets of Edmonton, outside the hospitality rooms, people were smoking joints, enjoying the drug recently made legal by Canada’s government.

Except it’s not really legal. Not in public anyway. The new laws legalizing cannabis also restrict its consumption. Like alcohol, it’s not supposed to be consumed on the street. Like cigarettes, it’s not supposed to be consumed almost anyplace but in the privacy of your home.

Edmonton police were often nearby, certainly aware what was being smoked. Many police officers say they prefer dealing with people smoking marijuana than with people drinking liquor.

In the spirit of Grey Cup that may have been the best approach, to ignore the minor transgressions and hope they don’t become major transgressions.