October 17th marked the day that Canada fully legalized the use of recreational cannabis. Cannabis was previously available only for medicinal purposes, but now Canada will be the second country in the world, after Uruguay that allows adults to purchase and consume it freely.
The effect of this action has a substantial impact on the various services offered in Canada, and free cannabis use will undeniably affect the ‘Event World.’ Let’s see how event planners and event attendees can navigate the associated responsibilities.
How Will the New Cannabis Law Change Event Planning?
Changes are bound to happen, but what does this new cannabis law mean for the event planning industry? Event planners will now have to take more preventive measures and be on the lookout for event issues.
Legalized cannabis use means that people will undoubtedly use cannabis more openly in public. Also, that means that there will be attendees who will come to your venue where the cannabis consumption might not be allowed. It could potentially lead to situations where event planners might be held liable.
Rules and Regulations of Cannabis Use
Event planners and attendees especially have to keep themselves informed about Canadian cannabis laws for each province. The current law states that the provinces and territories will have separate rules for cannabis consumption. That fact alone could lead to many unwanted situations.
Laws will generally apply to the legal minimum age for cannabis consumption, including the rules where you can obtain it, use it, and the total amount you can possess. Since each province will attempt to regulate it, event planners have to bear in mind that some attendees won’t be familiar with the laws in the area they are visiting.
Some territories will limit cannabis use to areas where people are allowed to smoke tobacco, whereas some provinces will ban the public consumption altogether.
Investing in More First Aid Staff
People who get high are a liability as we have seen. But event planners might avoid any disasters by hiring additional First Aid staff for the event. That also means that event planning budgets need to account for that expense.
Limiting the Liability
Like with alcohol consumption, event planners will now have to pay attention to the guests who get high. If anything happens and someone gets hurt, insurance companies might deny the coverage. It’s always a great idea to limit the liability in cases where event attendees hurt themselves or others.
What are the Event Planners’ Responsibilities?
Hosts will have to prepare in advance and educate people about responsible use of cannabis, at least at their event and in the specific venue. It would be wise to include the cannabis consumption rules in distributed materials before and during the event. Adding the event policy on cannabis consumption to the host’s website is also a step forward towards responsible event planning in the legalized cannabis territory.
Is Cannabis an Event Planner’s Nightmare?
Not if they know what they are doing. Planning events will get more complicated due to liability issues, possible medical issues, risks, and challenges. If you want to host a stress-free event, it might be best to leave the planning to the pros who are familiar with the rules and regulations and can successfully plan each step, including the discussion with the vendor.
Feel free to ask Bright Ideas Events for any help planning and executing your next event.
