Today, CBC News published an article about how owners of establishments that serve alcohol are concerned that legal marijuana could increase their liability. Founder Greg Monforton was interviewed for this story and there is a video of some of the interview on the CBC News site.
Monforton noted that the legalization of marijuana adds another layer of complexity for people who work in the hospitality industry. Even though alcohol training programs have not been updated to educate on the signs of cannabis impairment, establishments could still be held liable for serving alcohol to people who are already intoxicated on marijuana.
The owner of a tavern in Windsor expressed concern because it is difficult to know how much marijuana people have ingested. People might come into a bar and not drink very much, but smoke a joint before coming in or after leaving.
Public health officials are warning that mixing these two substances could increase impairment and possibly increase the odds of driving while intoxicated.
CBC News talked to multiple alcohol training programs and they are considering updates, including SmartServe Ontario, which hopes to have a revised course ready before Ontario allows cannabis to be sold in private retail stores in April.
Canada’s first marijuana dispensaries opened on Wednesday. The measure that legalized recreational marijuana was passed by the Senate in June. The law allows adults to buy, use, possess and grow recreational marijuana.