Uncertainty looms for businesses, employees with recreational cannabis legalized

Oct 24, 2018 | 5:30 AM

One week into recreational cannabis being legal in Canada, uncertainty remains for businesses and how they will be impacted.

Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce Chair Cris Seppola-Podsada says many local businesses are trying to get a better understanding of the legislation.

“Watching a new industry emerge is definitely interesting. I think the business community, when it comes to the legalization of cannabis, is looking at it from many different perspectives, all the way from is somebody smoking too close to my front door to what are the safety issues and implications in my business.”

She adds each business can make their own changes in response to cannabis legislation.

“I’ve seen reports of businesses saying or even public organizations saying that you can never smoke it all the way to we won’t test for that. I think there is a human rights component that goes along with that. So, I think the balance between human rights and safety in the workplace, I think, is going to be a big factor in how companies decide how to treat this legislation.”

Seppola-Podsada says it’s not only businesses but employees that may have to adhere to the new cannabis rules.

“Really when there is an employee and an employer, the treatment needs to be fair between both parties. Whatever rules are laid out by the employer, they will be what they will be. As long as (they) are not breaking any rules, so to speak.”

She adds it’s too early in cannabis legalization to know specifics for local businesses.

by Brady Ratzlaff