Marijuana use at Rallies in Canada

[Thom Rowland]

Originally Posted by Island Claire

Okay, Let's make this clear from the start. This is NOT against smokers or pot users. This is a thread about solving problems. I do not want any rants, only helpful advice.
I co-lead a trailer group. I would like to know what other leaders are planning, here in Canada, now that Pot is legal.
We are a family friendly group and like to encourage children at our events. Children and Pot do not mix. Pot is banned from most public areas in cities etc where children will be, and the campgrounds I have talked to are using the same policy. However, an individual campsite is considered private space and they cannot ban the use of Pot in a site unless they ban it from the whole campground.
How are you planning to handle this?

I'm not in Canada but have held/hosted several "Egg Rendezvous" in Colorado where cannabis has been legal for some time. We never set any rules nor saw the need to. Anyone that may have been using cannabis at one of our rallys has always been discreet about it. All of our rallys have been held in National Forest Camp Grounds. Cannabis is still illegal by federal law so technically it is not legal to use while in the National Forests so anyone using has to be discreet to avoid possible prosecution.
Canada on the other hand has made it legal by federal law but I'm sure there are Canadian regulations about using in public.

[Jon in AZ]

This seems simple enough to me.

Rules about private activities within your own campsite- alcohol, smoking, pot, campfires, generators, pets, night lighting...- are governed by applicable laws and campground policies.

Rules about activities in group gatherings are set by the host(s). They can, of course, be more restrictive but not less.

Rules should be used sparingly to address common group concerns, not isolated bad conduct.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by ZachO

Hard to argue with well-reasoned views...

…or well-seasoned campfire wood.

[ZachO]

.

[John in Santa Cruz]

We've been going to the Strawberry Music Festival in the Sierra mountains, since our kids were babies... this camping festival is quite family friendly, lots of aging hippies and their kids, mostly bluegrass and folk music...

anyways, my daughter when she was in HS, one day driving home from school, she announces, I finally know what that 'strawberry smell' is! heh. she graduated HS with honors, and has her BS in Geology now, so I don't think that knowledge has had a negative impact on her life...

[Gerry]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

This seems simple enough to me.

Rules about private activities within your own campsite- alcohol, smoking, pot, campfires, generators, pets, night lighting...- are governed by applicable laws and campground policies.

Rules about activities in group gatherings are set by the host(s). They can, of course, be more restrictive but not less.

Rules should be used sparingly to address common group concerns, not isolated bad conduct.

I agree with you Jon, At the Spring Fling in New England Rally the owner has said that:
Campground Rules State: There is no drinking in any public venues.
There is no drug use anywhere on premises.

Now he has told me that during the Rally we could have a drink or two at Rally events such as Pot-Luck or any other scheduled event down at the Pavilion but, in my opinion, I think this would open a can of worms so I just tell the people attending they have to adhere to the campground rules and let it go at that.
I do not police them. I leave it up to the campground staff.
I have a great, fun group, and in the 2 years of Hosting the Rally, there hasn't been 1 problem.

[k corbin]

Sounds a lot easier to skip rallies and stay out of campgrounds if you have trouble with wood smoke.



Of course if you do want to do pot there are rallies around where it is obviously welcome and normal. I guess I prefer going to events such as blues festivals or other events such as an SCA or the Wooden Boat festival in Port Townsend where there is camping over going to a travel trailer rally. Lots of pot smoking at those places. But I gave it up about 30 years ago when I took up flying a different way...in small airplanes.

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by Gerry

There is no drug use anywhere on premises.

I wonder if when I step outside the gate to take a simple aspirin for a headache (no drug use on premises), if there will be others there forming a smoking section for both cigarettes and pot? Someone with shifty eyes will glance around and sneak a sip of merlot form a flask.

[Jon in AZ]

Silly, silly...

Caffeine is my drug of choice, and strong, black coffee my preferred means, though I am not opposed to an occasional mid-afternoon Diet Coke. In broad daylight!

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Silly, silly...

Caffeine is my drug of choice, and strong, black coffee my preferred means, though I am not opposed to an occasional mid-afternoon Diet Coke. In broad daylight!

OMG! A clear example of moral decline.

[slowpat]

Are there that many problem drunks that go to rallies? Sometimes it is nice, and relaxing to get a buzz on via alcohol. It's not like I'm going to hop in my pickup after getting such a buzz, holler HOLD MY BEER and see how fast I can drive the curvy road between Florence, OR and Yachats. I don't see any problems with pot users either, but maybe rallies attract a different sort than I hang out with?

Now, I have found out that my skiing can improve after a couple of beers. Fiddle playing ability declines. That's my research on alcohol. I have chosen not to use pot for relaxation, so far.


I use a cannabis lotion on problem body joints. Would that be banned also if in a pot legal state? Coffee? How about those "Energy Drinks". I saw a fight break out after a couple of loggers swilled a few 5 minute energy drink things. Perhaps caffeine should be banned.


Guess I'm an optimist.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Silly, silly...

Caffeine is my drug of choice, and strong, black coffee my preferred means, though I am not opposed to an occasional mid-afternoon Diet Coke. In broad daylight!

I’m with Jon , enjoying a fresh brewed cup of strong black coffee while watching the sunrise is plenty of stimulation for me .
In my 70 years I have never had any desire for or personal experience with pot and I doubt things will change . Just because pot is suddenly legal doesn’t mean everyone will jump on the bandwagon .
We go to rallies to see old friends , meet new and interesting people and see the countryside.

[ZachO]

I've noticed some of the older folks at music gatherings I go to starting to experiment with it strictly for help sleeping. One guy swears by a cookie before bed. It's the only thing he's found that lets him sleep through the night, rather than his prostate waking him up 4 times. There are a few of the older guys who are having fun with it during the day, too, but it's mostly being used "medicinally".

I think with legalization a lot of people will probably try it out. Quite possibly most won't even like it anyway. But yeah, there'll be plenty of people who had no interest before and have no interest now.

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by ZachO

I've noticed some of the older folks at music gatherings I go to starting to experiment with it strictly for help sleeping. One guy swears by a cookie before bed. It's the only thing he's found that lets him sleep through the night, rather than his prostate waking him up 4 times. There are a few of the older guys who are having fun with it during the day, too, but it's mostly being used "medicinally".

I think with legalization a lot of people will probably try it out. Quite possibly most won't even like it anyway. But yeah, there'll be plenty of people who had no interest before and have no interest now.

Well some folks say they drink alcohol because it is "medicinal".



I suppose a lot of people who attend rallies like to imbide one thing or another. My personal weakness is for eating good Bar-b-que ribs, steak or chicken. I doubt anyone will be objecting to that.


There never really has been an "age" for using pot as in "older folks", people of all ages have been using that loco weed for many centuries. Some regulations required it to be labeled as a poison in the first decade of the 1900s, some places made it illegal in the 1920s. The national illegal law came along in 1937. So now they are starting to reverse direction and declare it legal (but not for minors) while making sure the states financially profit by controlling it so that it can be taxed in a number of ways such as sales tax and licensing fees and permit and inspection fees.


I don't care if there is a ban on alcohol or pot, just don't ban bar-b-que, I love that smokey ribs, steaks and chicken.

[ZachO]

Yeah, people justify all sorts of things to themselves.

Many things are medicinal, and it's all in the use. Alcohol is medicinal, in certain amounts for certain things. But what's the saying..."the dose makes the poison" or something along those lines. Just about everything on earth will kill you at the right dose, water included.

Ginger and garlic are considered medicinal. And of course all the prescription pain killing drugs causing so much suffering in our country right now. Which are somehow legal...

For myself, as I've gotten older, I enjoy pot but don't seek it out. It absolutely helps me sleep, but I find the sleep isn't quite as good a quality. So for those with issues sleeping (like my friend), it's a good thing. For me, who sleeps pretty darn well to begin with, it's actually just slightly detrimental. Something about messing with REM a little, I think.

[RogerDat]

I think this is a solution in search of a problem. I haven't ever seen anyone being rude about alcohol consumption or smoking. I'm pretty sure a few drink a good amount, some less. Smokers I have met are fairly polite about not blowing smoke in anyone's face. I don't know what folks are drinking for a beverage during potluck. As long as I get my after dinner coffee no one will get hurt so it's good.

If one is leading or co-leading a sub group I would think it makes sense to find out what the rules are at the specific campground. Pass those on to the members of their group, then let those people be responsible for their actions. If something is offending others let the others handle it between themselves unless absolutely necessary to intervene.

If someone smoking next to someone else is a problem for health or just comfort reasons that person being a grown adult addressing a grown adult can ask for some consideration. My guess is the smoker will be fine with moving away a bit or going down wind etc. to indulge.

Drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, or smoking pot are activities that in and of themselves are not a problem. Behavior around those activities can become a point of friction and that friction I'm sure can and will be addressed by the parties to it. Only if it becomes contentious should there be any reason for anyone to feel a need to moderate the situation. Taking "sides" by others is actually more likely to lead to conflict in my experience. Can't imagine actually calling law enforcement being required.

If children are part of the activities it is worth asking yourself the question raised here. Am I expressing concern over the beer or wine being consumed around the children? If not why would I be concerned over the pot? As long as the actions of the person under the influence are not a problem where is the problem to be solved or prevented? If my concern is "exposing" the kids to the activity... depending on age you may have to use it as a "teachable moment" because they will most certainly be exposed to those sorts of activities eventually. Younger than that they probably won't have a clue.

Keeping the "goodies" especially edibles, or drinkables that might taste good out of the reach or view of young children is just common sense. If nothing else really stoned kid will NOT make for a relaxing time. I think there is no worry small child will drink much Pinot Noir thinking it's grape juice, or beer which is an acquired taste but some wine coolers might not put them off and even a small amount of hard liquor can make them really sick without really hurting them. No one will like you if your flavored booze or cocktail left out has a kid puking their guts out all night even if no "real" harm is done to the child over "a little drink". Not to mention eating your whole bag of gummies or two brownies intended to be 2 doses each for an adult while not doing lasting harm may well cause much distress. Parents do tend to get understandably excited when their children are in distress. Being the cause of an ambulance getting called would really be a "bummer" as they say.

But then rude, stupid behavior has not been my experience at FGRV rallies. So as I started with I think it is a solution in search of a problem.

Now for the folks who don't build good fires.... when they get to their special corner of hades I'm guessing they might figure out how to make one hot that draws and doesn't smoke.

[Bruce H]

Ah yes, chemical recreation.



This discussion reminds me of my days as a draftee in the U.S. Army in the early '70s. Prior to my first day in the army marijuana (or any other drugs) did not exist in my world. In the barracks that first night there was much discussion among the recruits about where to get some dope.



Fast forward a few months and I was stationed in West Germany and housed in a barracks with about 160 other men at a Nike Hercules missile site. The officers were housed off site. Being a draftee I had no rank and no authority. Marijuana was not available in Germany. The only available chemical for smoking was hashish which is concentrated from the marijuana plant. It looks like and has the consistency of liquorish candy. A few of the men had a source in Copenhagen and would take the train up there and purchase it by the kilo. It would be brick sized and shaped, and wrapped in aluminum foil. I gathered that the cost was $550.00. This would be brought back to the unit, divided and sold to the users.



The drug itself has an odor and when smoked it has a VERY strong distinctive odor. It doesn't take much. A razor blade is used to shave off a small sliver about like a piece of potato chip 1/2 inch square (the recreationist would pay $10 for that). It was usually smoked in a conventional tobacco pipe. A little tobacco from a cigarette would be mixed with it to make it burn and a small wad of window screen wire was placed in the bottom of the pipe to keep the mixture from being sucked into the stem. The window screens had all been torn out of the barracks.



The Army pay for enlisted men was $220 to $250 per month. Checks were an option but most took it in cash. Most of the smokers ran out of money before the end of the month. This necessitated borrowing money in order to get dope to make it to the end of the month. The interest rate was $10 now for $20 on pay day. Those who were so irresponsible as to not repay their loan on pay day were refused any more hash for the entire month. Plus they got beat up.



Chemical recreationists are always in a quest for a better experience. The other chemical I saw was LSD. It came saturated in the little silver ball candy that you sometimes see sprinkled on cupcakes. Each little silver ball, smaller than a B-B, was called a tab. It sold for $1. Some opted for this chemical adventure.



Nike Hercules missiles are no longer in use. A portion of the missiles at the location at that time were armed with nuclear warheads. To keep them ready for immediate use required a lot of service and maintenance, some of it daily. As well, by virtue of the fact that they were nuclear weapons, the facility required extensive 24 hour armed security. In the event there was ever a need to launch any of them, the missile crewmen had a lot of things to do and get right in a very short period of time.



There were 160 men assigned to do all of this. The months went by. A lot of games of cards and chess were played. A lot of dope got smoked. Everyone knew everyone. One evening a discussion got started about how many were smokers? Someone got out some paper and a pen and the names of all of the men were written down. It was unknown how many of the officers were smokers. But going down the list, the enlisted men who were known smokers were counted. 84% were and 16% were not. I was not.



I had absolutely no choice about being housed with those idiots. I am glad the world didn't blow up. That was 47 years ago. Don't smoke any dope around me.

[ZachO]

Funny how different people's life experiences can be, all of them valid.

I've seen a lot of different stuff. Lazy couch potato stoners who blew all their money on weed, cable, pizza and beer. Super-motivated people who smoked all the time, but especially before studying and taking exams because it just dropped their mind activity level down enough that they could actually focus, and had straight A's all through college and great careers now.

A lot depends on what type of person you are to begin with.

As we've seen, even people who avoid any kind of drug, including alcohol, can be more dangerous than any stoner out there.

[floyd]

• People often have difficulty separating that which is rational from that which is merely rationalization.
  
  Truth is immutable, consensus is fickle, and another five pages of this would violate the very principle of moderation so many here have espoused!.
  

[WizWid]

In consideration of the title of the post, I believe only the opinions Canadians have any merit in this discussion.
That does not include me, so please ignore this post.