Why pot-smoking tourists may have a tough time lighting up on P.E.I.

The Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island says visitors hoping to smoke cannabis on the Islandthis summer may have a tough time finding a place to do it legally.

As it stands, it's against the law on P.E.I. to smoke potin public.It's left up to the owners of tourist accommodations to decide whether to allow guests to light up in their private rooms or in designated areas outdoorson their properties.

CEO Kevin Mouflier saidmany owners he's heard from have decided not to allow potto be smoked anywhere.

"It's back to the [fact] that alot of travellers do not like smokingperiod," said Mouflier."Whether it be cigarette smoke or anything, they want to have that clean feeling of no smoke in the rooms or public areas."

'It should be legal at our site'

Some tourism operators are taking a different approach.

Isaac MacPherson, the owner of Brackley Beach North Winds Inn and Suites, saidwhile guests aren't allowed to light up in their rooms, smoking is permitted anywhere outside, as long as it's at least 4.5 metres (15 feet) from the building.

"If it's legal in Canada, it should be legal at our site in my opinion," said MacPherson. "People should have a spot to smoke their cigarettes, drink their alcohol, and smoke their marijuana."

Many Island campgrounds appear more open to marijuanaas well.

P.E.I. provincial parksand Parks Canada bothallow campers to smoke itattheir individualcampsites only.

Some private campgrounds contacted by CBC said they've set the same rules.

Designated public areas the answer?

But Shaman Ferraro saidthat still leaves a lot of Island tourists with nowhere to light up.

Ferraro owns Gocannaan Island company that helps guide tourism businesses looking to understand the laws, and tocapitalize on the new legal cannabis industry.

He thinks the provincial government would be smart to create designated public areaswhere pot smoking is allowed.

"[Without that], we might see people in Victoria Park, we might see people at the beaches using cannabis because they don't have a place to go.And we don't want that exposure to youth. That's not part of the federal objectives of legalizing cannabis," said Ferraro.

Back in October, then Liberal finance minister Heath MacDonald, said designated consumption areas would be the "next phase" of the legalization process on P.E.I.

A spokesperson for the finance department said this week that "government continues to monitor the impact ofourinitial policy decisions in order to identify any needs, issues or gaps."

Moufflier, with the tourism industry association, saidat this pointhe hasn't heard concerns from visitors with nowhere to smokecannabis.

"But it's early," he said. "Having a full summer ahead of us, then getting feedback from operators if there is any concernis really critical."

More P.E.I. news