A city man who was asked to leave a city bus for vaporizing his medical marijuana while en route hasn’t found much support through social media.

Followers of The Intelligencer’s Facebook page were asked if they thought it was appropriate for Christopher Hobin to be told to leave the city bus. Hobin, who has been diagnosed with high anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome and chronic pain, has a prescription for medical marijuana. Provincial law permits those who have such a prescription to use their drug in public spaces where, typically, smoking is not permitted.

However, many respondents noted there should be common courtesy taken into consideration for anyone who has such a prescription.

“The problem with these vaporizers is that the people using them have it in their heads that it’s acceptable everywhere just because it’s not actual smoke,” stated Jamie Boomhour. “It’s still unpleasant and it’s not fair for others around you to have to put up with a huge vape cloud of stink floating in their faces. Have some common courtesy. You wouldn’t smoke on a bus, so don’t vape on a bus.”

That same view was shared by Jen Woodcock who said Hobin should have been more considerate of others on the city bus.

“I think it should be a common courtesy to not vape your marijuana meds in an enclosed public area like a bus,” she stated. “If you are in pain, and in need of a hit, consider taking some edible meds with you on a short outing.”

While the idea of showing common courtesy was a popular one among Facebook followers, so too was the suggestion Hobin could have waited to use his vaporizer once the bus trip was over. Numerous people noted the majority of bus trips in the city are not long and questioned why the man felt the need to use his vaporizer while on the bus.

“I am pretty sure he could have taken a hit before getting on the bus,” wrote Amanda Taylor. “The ride from the mall to downtown doesn’t take hours. He could have another hoot upon arrival at the station between tranfers. I’ve got a two year old and I am pretty sure many others with toddlers and babies don’t want someone smoking weed anywhere near their precious little ones.”

Katelyn Christine suggested the situation could have been handled in a more appropriate manner which would not have required Hobin to be kicked off the bus. She stated some people, including herself, are allergic to marijuana smoke and Hobin could set off a reaction.

There was sympathy for Hobin expressed by Patty Ferguson, but she said she would never dream of using medicinal marijuana in such a setting.

“Being someone with multiple wounds and wheelchair bound, as well as having lukemia, I will soon be using it and I myself wouldn’t dream of doing in on a bus or confined area,” she stated. “It’s not fair for other’s who don’t smoke or smoke it… All that being said, I feel very sorry for the person who might have been in pain, but take something, or a puff, before venturing out. That way you save yourself and everyone else all the embarrassment.”

While the majority of comments were in support of the city’s actions, some did feel Hobin was doing what he needed to and defended the man.

“A lot of people are misinformed and uneducated when it comes to this topic,” stated Jeremy Dunkley. “A vaporizer does not cause any smoke at all, yes it has a lingering smell that doesn’t last any where near as long as the smell from smoke. There is no second hand harm from a vaporizer other then an irritable smell to some.”

Brad Matthew noted he too suffers from chronic pain and “could not bring myself to not deal with it privately.”

“What we’re not taking into consideration is an individual who suffers a unique and extremely invasive form of chronic pain, or how long he had been suffering up to that point (note, groceries),” he wrote. “Add the naturally occurring stressors in being surrounded by strangers on a bus in that equation, and you’re likely looking at a scene of someone suffering very much.”