'We have rules, man:' Watertown user says he wants to smoke weed outside respectfully

Ben Muir, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·2 min read

Apr. 10—WATERTOWN — Paul Morgan is sitting in a lawn chair on Public Square Tuesday, minding his business and enjoying a joint wrapped in hemp rolling papers.

Mr. Morgan, who has lived on Public Square for five years and says he smokes marijuana at breakfast time every day, has his own set of rules. He won't smoke it in front of kids or in front of people who might be bothered by it, and those rules haven't wavered even though marijuana was legalized statewide last week. The legislation made it so weed can be consumed in public — anywhere cigarettes are legally allowed to be smoked, said Detective Lt. Joseph R. Donoghue Sr. There might be exceptions to that rule, like not being able to consume on government or an employer's property.

Jefferson County District Attorney Kristyna S. Mills said she hopes those who use marijuana in public are respectful of others, especially considering how some officers are adjusting to not enforcing a law they had for so long, or how second-hand smoke could affect others.

"To law enforcement and a few of them I talked to, it sort of feels like they're thumbing their nose at the law, but they're not. What they're doing is completely legal," Ms. Mills said. "Obviously, it's going to take some getting used to for law enforcement because for so long it's been illegal."

And being respectful is Mr. Morgan's top priority, he said

"I've done every drug you could think of, but I didn't like them," he said. "I love my marijuana."

Mr. Morgan says he does it mostly because he simply enjoys it, and now he's enjoying it on the benches outside with his friends.

"It feels really good because I can come out here and sit and smoke a joint, enjoy the day and not have to worry about being arrested," said Mr. Morgan, who's retired now. "If somebody actually starts something, I can call the cops and say 'Hey I'm being harassed for smoking weed.'"

But he can't stress enough how much he doesn't want to force it on anyone.

"We're watching out for the kids," Mr. Morgan said. "If somebody says they don't like it then we move away or just wait until they leave. We don't want to disrespect anybody."