[trapperkeeper79]

I'm not a user but have a question for people with more experience. I recently had a few very bad experiences at the movie theatre where (a) the entire outside area smelled of what I think was weed, and (b) the person next to us in a very full theatre reeked of it. We had to leave because it was a really bad odour. Is Toronto going a bit overboard in the short term while people are experimenting or is this just the way it is going to be? I.e. we stop going to movies, etc. I'm not being judgemental .. want to try to be open about it. What does one do in this situation?

I see drunk people from time to time too but I can avoid them fairly easily. MJ seems harder to avoid. I also had a run in at a beach recently where I was there to watch the sunset. The MJ user also seemed to be there for that reason .. I just moved away. Harder to do in a packed theatre.

[nkrisc]

For what it's worth I find cigarette smokers to smell as equally awful as someone who reeks of weed. In cold weather, for some reason, they smell particularly worse. Sitting next to someone who's just smoked on the train is downright disgusting. I share your dilemma but I already deal with it everyday today. There's one reason I'm glad for vaping: it smells way better than cigarettes.

My wife has it worse: cigarette smoke is a migraine trigger for her if she has to be around it for a while.

[tonyarkles]

As a smoker who tries really hard to be conscious of those around him, I can definitely relate to the cold weather thing! I can notice it on myself even, and it drives me nuts. I have no idea what causes it, but I am quite glad that Saskatchewan is thawing out and I have another 6 months before the double-bad-smell comes back.

[nkrisc]

I've always wondered what it was. Does cold air carry the smell better? Is it the humidity and the cold weather is incidental? It also seems to change the character of the smell too; I notice it's even more stale smelling than it usually is.

[sanswork]

When I smoked I would keep my hands much closer to myself in the winter(since I was cold standing outside like an idiot). So the smoke would definitely have more of a chance to waft over my body.

[smoothdeveloper]

The reason is probably flowers (cannabis) versus leaves (tobacco)

[johnm1019]

My personal opinion is a two part solution

1. Ensure private establishments can establish restrictions on all forms of smoking. Then they could establish designated 'smokers corners' far away from entrances and ventilation equipment (as often seen now around hospitals which ban smoking).

2. Handle the person-next-to-you situation the same as I would now with anyone whose behavior or presence was disturbing my experience. I would inform the staff of the situation and that it's ruining my experience and ask them to handle it. If they decline, ask for a refund and leave. Don't go back to that theatre -- vote with your money!

[nkrisc]

I've always wanted to carry around a jar of rotting fish because "it's a habit I enjoy." Everyone around just has to deal with it because it's my right. I'll stand with my rotting fish jar in the smoking area if I have to. Yes, that's how I feel about smoking in public.

[ChrisBland]

Problem 2 gets tricky IMO. So you don't like the smell of someone who was smoking and would ask for a refund over it. What if you don't like their BO, what if they wear a ton of perfume and it smells? You can prevent smoking on the grounds, prevent noticeably intoxicated people from entering, but how do you handle smell?

[ensignavenger]

Thats what refunds are for. If an appropriate accommodation can't be made, I see no problem with management issuing a refund. (I would come back and try again, but if the establishment has a chronic problem, I would probably give up after a couple of tries. That would be a management problem for them to deal with.)

[metaphorm]

re: 2

what would you have the staff do? presumably the other person also paid for their ticket and is equally entitled to stay in the theater. where would you draw the line with offensive odors, for that matter? would it be reasonable to make the same request if it was B.O.? farts? their perfume?

[cbhl]

If San Francisco is anything to go by, in the short term people will go wild and smoke it everywhere because the science says it is "less harmful than cigarettes". I'm hoping that post-legalization someone will do a study that shows "marijuana still makes your lungs black and gives you lung cancer", and we can update all the anti-smoking campaigns marketed at teenagers to cover both marijuana and cigarettes.

[mc32]

I'm all for legalizing it. Having grown up with people around me who smoked, it always seemed reasonable to legalize use and have production and distribution heavily regulated and taxed (as tobacco).

What I find a bit ironic is that in the face of prop 65, CA doesn't make much of MJ use.

[animex]

Several studies in this area have already concluded such.

http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/smoking-facts/marijuana-and...

[nowarninglabel]

Your link is good and people should read it, but your statement severely mischaracterizes it. There is certainly no link mentioned on that page regarding a connection between marijuana smoke and lung cancer (which is what the grandparent comment stipulated)

[dmihal]

> marijuana still makes your lungs black and gives you lung cancer

What? While smoking anything isn't great for your lungs, there's no evidence that marijuana causes lung cancer.

[bdamm]

How could it possibly not? Smoking anything deposits an array of ash and tar products into your body, and I have yet to observe a studied combustion byproduct that doesn't cause cancer. Also, smoking anything increases risk of infection, which in turn will cause immune stress and necessarily an increase in cancer risk.

Personally I think the damage done to individual people when aggregated in sum is below the noise when compared with pollution from industrial sources, environmental pollution from consumer products, known-cancerous foods such as bacon, hamburgers, and beer, etc. So it's no reason to outlaw marijuana. But people who partake should not be fooling themselves into thinking it's healthy.

[smitherfield]

Basically, smoke is composed of two components, gases and particulate solids. The gases leave your lungs when you exhale, while some of the solids remain, and cause cancer and other bad things. The concentration of particulate solids is many orders of magnitude greater in tobacco smoke than marijuana smoke, which is why the smell of tobacco smoke will persist in an enclosed space for years, while the smell of marijuana smoke completely dissipates after only a few hours.

[acchow]

Chain smokers can also smoke 2 packs a day every day. While holding a job. You just can't do that level of marijuana.

[cmrdporcupine]

I used to know people whose response to that declaration would be "Challenge Accepted!"

[ridgeguy]

Out of my field, so can't offer an explanation, but it appears smoking MJ is not associated with lung cancer or reduced forced vital capacity (a measure of respiratory capability).

Here's a recent (2016) review: [1] Nature, apparently not paywalled. Lung cancer is the topic in the paragraph immediately before the "Discussion" section.

[1] http://www.nature.com/articles/npjpcrm201671

[x0x0]

Regular dosing levels.

A recreational pot user may smoke a couple joints a week vs a pack a day of cigarettes.

or see this http://healthland.time.com/2012/01/10/study-smoking-marijuan...

Many people vape, ie extract thc with heat, not fire. I would guess this also reduces carcinogens.

[exDM69]

There is ample evidence that smoking weed is bad for the health of the respiratory system. However, it is far less statistically likely to cause lung cancer than tabacco smoking. There are a few citations in this thread that should be able back up the claim.

Smoking isn't healthy and no-one should be making such claims. Other respiratory health issues are just as deadly as cancer.

[meej]

There is evidence that cannabinoids inhibit tumor growth and kill cancer cells.

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/ca...

[hugozap]

It has health benefits. Using drops / edible products removes the issue with released carcinogens from burning.

[petre]

You can always use a vaporizer. Or butter. Or anything with fat.

[lemonberry]

One variable not mentioned is the number chemicals used in growing tobacco - herbicides, pesticides, etc. - and the chemicals added the the filters of cigarettes. The latter issue is easy to avoid and most home growers try to minimize the use of the former if they use them at all.

[metaphorm]

you're oversimplifying. the quantity and quality of the smoke is hugely important. cannabis smoke and tobacco smoke are qualitatively different, and the typical amount consumed by cannabis vs. tobacco smokers is a very different quantity (in that tobacco smokers typically consume tens or even hundreds of times more mass of tobacco per day than cannabis smokers do).

certainly any kind of inhaled smoke can cause issues for your lungs, but conflating the cancer risk of daily habitual tobacco smoking (very high) with the cancer risk of daily habitual cannabis smoking (probably present, but not yet known how much more risk it causes) is a distortion.

[lojack]

I think whats interesting is that you'll find a lot of MJ users who have been conditioned to thinking the smell is pleasant. Makes sense if you think about it -- every time they're around that odor, their dopamine receptors are firing.

To the MJ users out there, take this as constructive criticism. Not everyone finds the smell appealing. Just like not everyone finds the smell of cigarettes appealing. Find a place to smoke away from entrances of buildings and other places nonsmokers are unable to avoid, and freshen up after partaking.

Businesses like the movie theater should create designated areas for smokers. As far as the smell that sticks with the person, that's something much more difficult to police, it isn't a crime to smell bad.

[owebmaster]

I don't like the smell of Cheetos (which is legal), but I don't fight with people that eats it on a bus/airplane (although it makes me angry).

What I mean is that we should get in an agreement good for everyone, not the common patronizing discourse of non-smokers been right, smokers wrong.

[lojack]

Its a courtesy thing, not a right vs wrong thing. If its a common complaint that my Cheetos smell bad, I'm going to avoid eating them in confined spaces or only around other people eating Cheetos. I'm also not going to go around telling everyone their Cheetos smell bad, but if someone constructively tells me that everyone hates the smell of my Cheetos, I'm going to acknowledge their complaint and be mindful of it when eating Cheetos moving forward.

[owebmaster]

Exactly! And lot of people think this way about marijuana, too. And a lot more don't think this same way in both situations. How to fix it?

[geff82]

The smell of Cheetos will never have influence on your health. Smoke does.

[owebmaster]

The smell of marijuana will never have influence on your health. Eat cheetos does.

[Cerium]

Eating Cheetos influences your health, and being around smoke influences your health. I don't think smelling Cheetos on your breath, or smelling smoke in someone's clothes does.

[metaphorm]

your language use is problematic, in my opinion. "conditioned to thinking..." implies that you have some objective, irrefutable notion of the truth and that people that disagree with you are delusional due to psychological conditioning.

this is just subjective stuff. I like the smell and taste of limburger cheese and durian fruit. other people tell me it makes them want to gag and vomit. some people like the way Beyonce's music sounds. It makes me want to leave the room. it's subjective. you don't need to make a bogus argument about dopamine receptors to notice that.

[lojack]

You can argue the specifics of my language all you want, I'm merely noticing a phenomenon and stating an explanation that makes sense to me.

[dorfsmay]

Does marijuana smells stronger and worse than tobacco and cinemas' popcorn?

By the way, this is part of why I don't understand why people still go to cinemas, crowded, noisy, smelly places to watch a movie that you could watch I the comfort of your home!

[hfsktr]

1. The experience.

2. Not everyone has a nice entertainment system in their home, if your TV isn't good or the sound isn't good or you got a DVD instead of Blu Ray or you had to stream but have crappy internet (etc).

3. If you don't control the TV you have to watch whatever is on (parents/teens fighting over the the only TV). Maybe less common now but not everyone has multiple TVs.

4. It forces me to carve out the time to watch/finish the movie because I don't get to just pause it and get distracted.

I go if I want to see the movie badly (and only on a specific day when they reduce ticket prices). I also like the gigantic screen and loud noise. I don't usually remember a movie by the time it's out of the cinema and so never remember to watch it later.

[dorfsmay]

1. the experience is exactly what the parent poster complained about, the smell of other people, but I'd add rude people (talking, standing, walking during the movie), the wait before the movie, trying to get out of the parking like at the same time as everybody else etc...

2. no big TV: true, although chances are that the electrical consumption delta between your old and a newer TV would pay for the newer TV in a year. Also, I don't care about cool/artistic images, I only care about the story told by the movie, but for people who are into that, this is a valid point, and probably the only one really.

3. idk, on the other hand, I ended liking movies I would have never watched myself, but did because my spouse/kids wanted to watch it.

4. you might want to read about focus, meditation, etc...

5. I keep a list of movies, every time somebody tells me about a good movie I haven't seen, I write it down. It's way better than endlessly wonder "what should we watch tonight?" or watch what advertiser tells us we should watch.

[Arizhel]

#2 and #3 really don't make sense any more. If you can't afford a $100-200 TV, then how the heck do you afford $20+ tickets? The TV will pay for itself very quickly. TVs are dirt cheap these days, and the "small" ones are not much more than $100. (I put "small" in quotes because that's for a 32" screen, which when I was young was considered a fairly large screen.) And if you can't find easy access to that movie, then just watch another. Basically you're saying that cinemas are for people with exceedingly poor impulse control.

As for #4, I can only "force" my bladder so much. At home, I can pause and take a bathroom break; I can't do that at the cinema.

As for the "loud noise", deafeningly loud noises are bad for your hearing. At home, I can set the volume to an appropriate and comfortable level.

[67726e]

Well, sometimes, you're a big fan of a movie and really want to see it. I was really into World War Z so I went and saw it when it came out in theaters, the first night. Other times your friends all want to go see Star Wars together, or some other friends and I went to see John Wick 2 the night it came out.

Sure, for the most part I don't care about going to the theater, most movies suck anyway. But socializing is a thing and watching a movie on the couch just doesn't compare to being in a dark theater with the screen filling your entire field of view and feeling the rumble from the speakers.

[dorfsmay]

I understand about movies being released early in cinemas, but that's artificial. If everybody stopped going to the cinema, they'd release movie online/DVD/whatever.

> socializing is a thing

Surely you don't talk while the movie's on! And if you like to drink/eat while socialising, all cinemas I've ever been to have worse and more expensive drinks and food than any bar/restaurant/home.

[jkaunisv1]

Socialising doesn't have to mean conversation. I almost never see movies in theatres but when I do I love going with friends, just for the little moments, hearing each other laugh or react at particular parts, when we turn to each other and go "WOAAAH!" or "Did you see that?" and then we go back to watching.

We bring our own food and drinks.

And sure I could do that at home but then I'd have to buy a screen or a projector, make sure my place is tidy, etc.

[kpil]

I hate the popcorn stink.

Watching a movie at home is so much nicer, as my sofa is so comfy and especially since they made the big screen pointless by ruining it with bad 3D.

[nowarninglabel]

Legalization has led to more non-smoked products on the market (e.g. chocolate bars). There are many people who don't smoke but do enjoy marijuana. Someone should do a study on this, but my bet would be that legalization would lead to more non-smoked consumption. Maybe the government could even incentivize those products by giving them a lower tax rate?

[GordonS]

True, and more and more people are turning away from smoking and towards vaporising

[sanswork]

Toronto has stunk like weed for years. It was pretty common for the elevators in my condo buildings to stink like it. Walking down sidewalks, etc. My wife is from Australia and use to comment on it all the time. I hate the smell but was just use to it.

[vlan0]

I don't have an answer for your problem. As it seems fairly identical to someone who reeks of tobacco. I'm not positive there is much you can do about that in a packed theater.

As someone who does use the drug, I would be surprised if smoking will still be as common when full legalization exists. Concentrated and edible forms of the drug are very popular in legal states. These are both my preferred method of consumption. Neither of which would cause the scenario you were subject to.

Also, that person that reeked does not sound like a courteous person. I make every attempt possible to ensure no one even knows I'm using marijuana in the parking lot prior to the movies.

[hugozap]

Not very different than tobacco which stays for much longer than MJ. Looks like the person next to you smoked right before entering.

[krrrh]

So many people get their med cards because of a severe phobia of boring movies.

[puddintane]

Medical marijuana user here, next time if you feel comfortable recommend to the user they grab a can of Ozium before going to public venues.

It completely takes the smell out and replaces with a lovely lemon smell.

I use this at work as well as in public venues and it keeps the marijuana odor from disturbing the public (at least I have stopped getting looks and the occasional nose wiggle, as well as my parents who don't smoke have told me how the marijuana smell doesn't seem to be there anymore when I visit).

I do apologize most of the users I know are respectful about how they enter the public while taking their medication.

[_acme]

Is there any real, peer-reviewed evidence that marijuana has any positive medical effects -- i.e., that it can be used "medically" to treat any disease?

[canadian_yeah]

Couldn't you have simply changed seats? The odour issue isn't any worse than cigarettes (it's arguably much more pleasant smell).

Re:Toronto, there have been literally a million casual users here for years (as there are in any major city). I don't expect a major shift in behaviour. If anything, easier access to edibles and vaporizers will likely reduce the frequency of smelling it.

[IanCal]

> Couldn't you have simply changed seats? The odour issue isn't any worse than cigarettes

I highly disagree, at least in strength. I can't smell tobacco when outside just because my people are smoking indoors and have their windows open, I can with weed.

[nkrisc]

It's all subjective. In the nice summer weather I can't open my windows because all my neighbors smoke so my home just ends up reeking of disgusting cigarette smoke. It'd be equally as gross if it was weed.

[sanswork]

More pleasant? Cigarette smoke is awful but there is a reason it's called skunk and it's not because it smells nice.

[PKop]

So they have to change their behavior, and sacrifice their seating preference to accommodate someone's drug habit?

Maybe the other guy could change his? Or not bother people in a public setting?

> The odour issue isn't any worse than cigarettes (it's arguably much more pleasant smell).

What if someone disagrees with your subjective opinion on this?

[trapperkeeper79]

It was a unique situation - we spent a lot of effort to get a baby sitter. Movie theatre was completely full. We just ended up leaving and got a refund.

[lodi]

They'll probably restrict where and when you can consume it like they do with alcohol and tobacco (no drinking on the street, no smoking anywhere with a non-smoking sign, etc.)