if, say, the Toothy Moose were replaced with a vapo lounge, the violent crime rate in downtown Halifax would drop significantly (stoners are much less prone to causing trouble than drunks). Although I don't advocate smoking marijuana, just as I'm against smoking tobacco because of how carcinogenic it is, vaporising is most definitely the healthy alternative since you avoid combustion of the herb; although, the least toxic form of ingestion would be via THC-infused foods, which is currently being marketed for seniors with arthritis (and younger people just wanting to get high, I suppose ) I hope pot is eventually legalised and then heavily taxed just like alcohol is. The war on drugs has been a total failure, and there are more humane, more economical methods for dealing with addicts that doesn't involve pushing drug profits into the underground where gang activities can flourish. In Vancouver, the most striking thing I noted was how political the culture was. While in Halifax I find people casually talk about the weather more frequently, Vancouverites seem to have their minds on current events, and aren't shy about mentioning their opinions on such things. I'm not really sure about transit. I suspect that Victoria's system is a lot better managed, and they have already begun planning for rapid transit: http://www.bctransit.com/vrrt/ Something that didn't really occur to me until after I left Victoria is that the city's layout really changes traffic/transit concerns. The legislature, bank offices, and primary entertainment/tourist district are downtown, the naval base