Original bilingual Facebook post. Text is shown as published; no translation has been added.
⛔️Shopping malls banning cannabis use, do you support? ⛔️私人商場禁止吸食大麻，你支持嗎？（中文文章在下方）
A “Marijuana Prohibited” sign at a private shopping area in Richmond has been circulating online. Some comments have suggested going there on purpose to smoke cannabis as a way to “push back.”
Before reacting, it is worth understanding the current rules. In Richmond, smoking — including cannabis — is not allowed within about 9 metres of building entrances, windows, and air intakes. This applies to storefronts and commercial areas. In places like Brown Road, where shops are close together, much of the sidewalk may already fall within these restricted zones, even if that is not clearly marked.
In other words, smoking near a shop entrance may already be against the bylaw, whether or not an additional sign is posted.
Private property owners are also within their rights to set rules for their premises. Posting signs such as “Marijuana Prohibited” is a straightforward way to communicate those expectations and maintain a more comfortable environment.
Encouraging people to break rules deliberately does not help. It only creates unnecessary tension and confusion.
This situation also points to a broader issue. Many residents are not fully aware of the existing rules, and signage across the city is often unclear or inconsistent. Richmond has also taken a cautious approach to cannabis policy, including not permitting retail cannabis stores within the city.
Looking ahead, there is room for improvement through clearer communication, better signage, and more consistent standards, especially in high-traffic and commercial areas. We also believe it is worth reviewing and strengthening the city’s Public Health Protection Bylaw, including its application to cannabis and other controlled substances in public spaces.
At the end of the day, this is about maintaining a respectful, safe, and welcoming community for everyone.
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近日，列治文一個商場範圍內設置的「Marijuana Prohibited（禁止大麻）」標誌在網上流傳，引起不少討論。更有網民聲稱，會刻意前往該地點吸食大麻，作為所謂的「反擊」。這種言論，本身已經反映出對社區規則的漠視。
事實上，列治文本身早已有附例規定，在建築物門口、窗戶及進氣口約9米範圍內，不得吸煙或吸食大麻，有關規定同樣適用於街舖及商業地段。以 Brown Road 為例，由於店舖之間距離密集，現實上整段行人路很大機會已落入限制範圍，只是現場標示不足，令不少市民根本難以判斷。換句話說，有些人以為自己「有權」在該處吸食，其實本身已有可能違反附例。
因此，私人商場設置「禁止大麻」告示，不但合法，而且是負責任的做法。業主有權為其物業訂立規則，而商場將相關要求清楚展示出來，本身就是在提醒公眾遵守規範，亦有助減少不必要的爭議和衝突。相反，如果明知有規定，仍然鼓吹他人刻意違規，這不是爭取權利，而是公然挑戰社區秩序。
更值得留意的是，列治文一直不是一個鼓勵大麻的城市。市政府至今仍然不批准設立大麻零售店，這本身已經反映出社區對公共空間管理及生活環境有較高要求。很多市民，尤其是重視家庭生活和社區環境的人，都不希望列治文走向一個對公共吸食大麻愈來愈寬鬆的方向。
但現時的問題亦十分清楚：規例雖然存在，卻仍然有不少灰色地帶。標示不清、認知不足、執行不一致，最終只會令爭議反覆出現，市民無所適從。與其每次等到網上出現爭拗，甚至有人刻意挑釁，市政府更應主動堵塞漏洞，將規則講清楚、做清楚、執行清楚。
因此，我們提出明確建議：修訂列治文《公共健康保護附例》（Public Health Protection Bylaw），進一步加強對公共場所吸食大麻及毒品（包括非法毒品）的規管。尤其在商業區及高人流地帶，應設立更清晰的限制範圍，統一相關標示，並提升執行標準，減少灰色地帶和執法混亂。
說到底，這並不是要「全面禁止」一切，而是要建立一套真正清晰、合理、可執行的規則，讓市民知道界線在哪裡，亦讓列治文繼續維持整潔、安全、適合家庭生活的城市環境。
Source: Advance Richmond Facebook community update. View original post on Facebook
