With the Liberal government working towards the legalization of marijuana, The question arose at Monday's Okotoks Town Council Meeting of whether Okotoks would be ready for the legalization of it or not?

The legalization of marijuana hasn't happened yet in Canada yet but it seems to be getting closer everyday. The Town feels with their current smoking by-laws in place they would be ready.

Mayor Bill Robertson says there would have to be adjustments made for marijuana smoking, so that it would follow under the same rules when having a cigarette, cigar or e-cigarette.

"If somebody, for example was disallowed from smoking cigarettes but because of a loop hole was allow to smoke marijuana in a certain situation. We want to make sure that all smoking products are disallowed if we are going ban smoking in areas."

Robertson adds that more amendments or stricter enforcement on all smoking by-laws could come into play if marijuana is legalized.

"There could be more enforcement, there could be some enforcement or some better definition of if somebody is allowed to smoke outside how far away from the entrance way must they be from that so that other people aren't subjected to that," he says.

Robertson says you have to be careful with marijuana smoke in public places if it becomes legal for the safety and well being of those around people using it.

"The possibility that someone could walk through second hand marijuana smoke if it was really extensive because there is the THC within it where people get high on the marijuana smoke, we want to make sure that residents who don't wish to be subjected to that are allowed to get through an area outside an entrance without having to breath that smoke in."

The marijuana correspondence for action was brought forward by Lee Hagen, the Director for Action on Smoking & Health in December and council has ruled the issue be taken as information and more research will be taken on the subject.