It’s Not Complicated: Put Up No-Smoking Cannabis Signs Everywhere!
Most got it but many are still scratching their head.
As a matter of fact, several c-store owners do not understand why the “no-smoking cannabis” sign should be added up to their in-store signage since, as they believe, the mere “no-smoking” notice should suffice.
“Smoking is smoking,” they tend to say.
They are probably right except that this is not what the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) has decided.
The real question is: do you want to pick a fight on that? To challenge the government up to the Supreme Court?
Of course not.
So don’t be a fool, refresh these signs and move on.
And while doing it, take the opportunity to put up the three no-smoking signs all together: tobacco, cannabis and vaping.
But then, make sure that they are all posted at the right places!
Signs everywhere are better than no sign at all
Put up signs everywhere and if in doubt, add more of them.
That is way better than wasting an hour arguing with an inspector or worse, getting a fine.
Take the example of the 9 meters regulation. This applies to “any door, air intake or window that opens”.
So, this means the following places:
- front door of the store;
- exterior door leading to the customer washroom;
- access door to the store for deliveries or employees (including doors that are condemned or permanently locked);
- access door to the car wash, whether for people or even, cars (same for garages);
- even the small, discreet shed way back in a corner, which is only used once in a while: it takes a sign on it!
Why hesitate? Add more of them. It won’t affect your operating costs!
In-store, you must also display no-smoking signs
For the past 20 years or more, convenience stores have been required to have no-smoking signs within their premises.
However, a very large number of them still don’t have any.
Those signs used to be there but at some point, they fell down and never replaced.
“Anyway, it’s not important since everyone knows it’s forbidden to smoke inside,” said one owner.
Yes, but how about a tourist passing by? Maybe it’s not the same in his country!
Some said: “According to my contract, I can’t post any sign within the store on my own. It’s the banner that makes these decision!”
Really? Will the banner also pay your fine if you end up with one? We don’t think so.
So, it means that YOU are legally responsible.
Put up a sign on the front door, one on a wall inside and one near the check-out area, and there you go: no more worries!
And as for the employees: one in the backroom, one in the washroom and others wherever you think it’s needed or justified.
Inspectors will often walk into the employee areas to check if there are any cigarette butts on the floor.
The presence of no-smoking signs in those places shows your true concern as an employer to enforce the regulation and, in the event of a violation, may serve to substantiate your due diligence plea.
Not to mention the gas pumps!
Now there are also gas pumps in about half of all convenience stores.
Every canopies in principle feature no-smoking signs. Well, refresh them too then!
“Yes but, we are told, it has nothing to do with the Tobacco Act: it is a matter of gasoline safety”.
Or course, but you must understand that there is now a new and separate Act regulating cannabis.
This piece of legislation is completely separate from the Tobacco Act. And it, too, requires signs everywhere it is prohibited to smoke.
“Maybe, but an inspector came the other day and said nothing about that,” we often hear.
So what? What guarantee do you have that the next one will think and do the same? What will you do if he or she applies the rules more strictly?
Is it worth risking a $700 fine plus a ton of stress to save a few pennies?
And how about having to argue with an inspector, which is never fun?
Remember: unlike police officers, health inspectors have the right to search your premises without a warrant. They have lots of legal power.
And keep in mind one thing: you will NEVER be fined for putting up too many signs!
This must be your strategy to avoid being bothered with this again and being able to go back to your business.