Get it straight: Toronto police don't want to hear about frozen meat, cell phone plans, or cannabis
Police are good at some things. Subtlety generally isn’t one of them.
To cut through the thicket of weed-related content on the internet lately, the Toronto Police launched a cannabis awareness campaign using real, ridiculous 9-1-1 calls.
Asking what to do with your frozen meat during a power outage is not a 911 call. Smelling weed coming from your neighbour's home isn't either. Cannabis is no longer illegal on October 17, 2018. Consumption is allowed for anyone 19yrs or older. Do not call police for this ^sm pic.twitter.com/6aYhbStarS
— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) October 16, 2018
Asking police to call your friend because you are out of minutes is not a 911 call. Calling about your neighbour's pot plants isn't either. Cannabis is no longer illegal on October 17, 2018. Up to four cannabis plants will be allowed per household. Do not call police for this ^sm pic.twitter.com/1rUvR9yvcT
— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) October 16, 2018
Weed is legal in Canada, in case you didn’t hear. So the police don’t want emergency calls about growing, smoking, or anything cannabis-related that is no longer criminal activity.
The campaign is being met with mixed reactions, with many people still genuinely confused about the laws around cannabis. (Unsurprising, since some municipalities enacted bans as recently as the day before legalization. While in Ontario, the PC government pulled an all-nighter to cut Toronto council in half but waited until after federal cannabis legislation was enacted to get around to the third reading of its pot bill, which allows pot smoking wherever cigarettes are permitted.)
What if the number of Cannabis plants is more than 4. Or what if someone is smoking indoors where smoking is prohibited?😂
— Tournel Henry (@EmmanuelHenry10) October 16, 2018
Others are taking the chance to air some general police grievances.
Tfw you have destroyed the lives of so many canadians for what is about to be legal but try and make a joke meme anyways.
— Tick E. Rider (@wagerfailure) October 16, 2018
“Tfw you have destroyed the lives of so many canadians for what is about to be legal but try and make a joke meme anyways,” wrote @wagerfailure.
While still others are just really kind and generous people.
bhaaaaaaaaaaaa haaaaa love the post re meat
— Rodney Marois (@patchcollecter) October 17, 2018
“bhaaaaaaaaaaaa haaaaa love the post re meat,” wrote Twitter user @patchcollector.
Lol. Great campaign. And sorry your call center is being tied up with non-emergencies.
— Aiesha (@Aiesha_Z) October 16, 2018
Whatever way you look at it, one thing is for sure: it’s a brave new world for marijuana puns and we won’t see the end of corny cannabis campaigns any time soon.
But if there is one thing from the pot files that makes today worth it, it’s the re-emergence of Cape Breton fiddler virtuoso Ashley MacIsaac. The musician was first in line at a Sydney River, N.S., shop.
“I don’t need to be a criminal anymore, and that’s a great feeling,” he told The Canadian Press. “And my new dealer is the prime minister!”