Medical cannabis is on the rise, with the Australian legal system finally lifting the curse to prescribe smoke or vape weed to patients with chronic conditions. It is more common these days for a healthcare professional to provide you with a prescription for a range of health-related conditions. On the other hand, many particular factors are involved with taking medical cannabis in public.
In the next few sections, we’re going to be taking a look at whether you can consume medical cannabis while out and about.
What Are The Legalities Around Public Consumption?
Since the legalisation of medical cannabis in 2016, the number of patients who are prescribed has largely increased. After five years of its legalisation, the herb turned into one of the biggest selling medications across Australia. For a lot of these patients, it is not uncommon for them to find themselves having difficulties running into the police because they themselves are not sure as to how the legalities work around taking prescribed marijuana in public. In the following sections, we’re going to outline the laws surrounding consuming medical cannabis while out and about.
Are You Allowed To Smoke Medical Cannabis While Out And About?
No, you are not allowed to smoke medical cannabis, even in smoking areas publicly. Because outdoor smoking is prohibited, if the police catch you, you could wind up in jail or get fined. For those who are smoking marijuana outdoors, it is easier for passerbys to get affected by secondary smoke. This is because the fumes are more pungent than when smoking in comparison to vaping. Therefore, if you are hoping not to get into some issues with the law, it is best not to smoke while in a public setting.
Are You Able To Vape Medical Cannabis While Out In Public?
There aren’t any laws that forbid you from vaping medical cannabis in a public smoking area. So, while you could vape outdoors, this is only restricted to public smoking areas. Although, it is important to remember that it is still a grey area to vape out and about, even in smoking areas. The lack of clear information out there makes it hard for the police to judge whether you are allowed to smoke in public. This is because people with chronic conditions look at buying illicit marijuana even though medical cannabis in Australia is legal.
They can also target you as creating a public disturbance or be seen as a distraction. Even in some cases, you could get arrested or have your medication taken away. If you are caught smoking outdoors, you could end up with someone in public complaining that there was a public disturbance before getting the police involved. There have been over 70, 000 arrests for marijuana possession in Australia from 2018 to 2019.
Just like passive smoking, the vapour from the THC can be problematic for anyone passing by the smoker. As the vapour dissipates quicker than smoking, there is still a big presence out in the air. If the police catch you, you can still find yourself in danger of being arrested for public disturbance. In this case, you should always show your medication and have your prescription at the ready to prove you are legally prescribed medical cannabis.
Summary
In short, there are many considerations to factor in when choosing to smoke or vape medical cannabis out in public. While it is possible to vape weed in a public smoking area, this can be an issue for the police, who are mostly unsure of the regulations around public usage. The best way to prevent arrest is to have your doctor’s prescription and evidence of approval to show the police. Because it’s still a grey area around public smoking, it is probably best to keep it indoors.
