She wanted to like her Calgary neighbour, but that was before he got a licence to grow medical marijuana. Patsy* knew something unusual was happening when her neighbour built a shed and shortly thereafter she started noticing a strong, pungent smell coming from the structure.

The source of the smell? Marijuana plants.

Despite the fact the plants were growing inside the shed, Patsy and her family could smell them to the point they couldn’t sit outside and enjoy the yard.

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Calls to bylaw officers got her nowhere. Her neighbour has a licence to grow the plants and there are no bylaws regulating odours.

If this is a concern now, what will happen when recreational marijuana is legalized in 2017?

Calgary Councillor Brian Pincott doubts “odour” will be a problem because of the proposed limit of four plants for personal use. However, he admits community standards may have to be updated to deal with the new world of legal pot.

The federal Liberal government has been criticized for moving so slowly on its promise to legalize marijuana, however communities have to make sure they have all the rules and regulations in place to make sure everyone’s concerns are heard.

*Editor’s note: NewsTalk 770 has decided not to use Patsy’s last name for privacy reasons.

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