Keep cannabis, driving in separate lanes: RCMP

EDMONTON No amount of cannabis consumption is safe behind the wheel, warn RCMP.

“Cannabis affects everyone differently,” says Const. Mike Hibbs of RCMP K Division in Edmonton.

“There is no safe limit for drivers who are recreational cannabis users or medicinal users, since everyone has a different body tolerance for drugs.”

In the wake of cannabis legalization, police are reiterating the message that drug-impaired driving laws apply to all drivers, including those with medical authorization for cannabis. The Criminal Code’s drug-impaired driving offence has never exempted drivers who drive impaired by prescription drugs.

Police offer the following tips for cannabis use:

■ Cannabis consumption is banned in vehicles. Provincial laws have established a number of consequences when cannabis is consumed in a vehicle, including fines and other administrative penalties to discourage and cut cases of impaired driving.

■ Keep cannabis out of reach. When cannabis is in a vehicle, it must be secured in closed packaging and not within reach of any occupants.

■ Prescription drugs can impair the ability to safely control a moving vehicle. When taking prescription drugs, it is vital to follow orders against operating any machinery for the given period of time. Talk with your doctor about the effects of your prescriptions and how they can react with other substances.

■ Know local rules before consuming cannabis. Albertans are allowed to consume cannabis in their homes and in some public spaces. Municipalities have the power to create additional restrictions on public use.

There is no safe limit for drivers … since everyone has a different body tolerance.