No spike in stoned driving charges since legalization, say police

Data derived from police forces across Canada suggests there has been no post-legalization spike in drug-impared driving charges.

While some detachments argued its too early to release data, only the Alberta RCMP reported a rise in drug-impaired driving charges since legalization.

“As expected by the VPD, we have not seen a sudden spike in cannabis related offences since the legalization last October. Really, it’s been business as usual,” said Const. Jason Doucette with the Vancouver Police Department.

Police forces have been critical of the federally approved Drager DrugTest 5000 used to test a driver’s saliva for concentration of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

“For the most part, in British Columbia, police departments have not deployed it. Several departments have a Drager 5000 that we can use and test but we’re all a little bit wary,” said Chief Const. Mike Serr of the Abbotsford Police Department.

However, one of the more common charges since legalization relates to the storage of cannabis in vehicles.

Ontario Provincial Police has recommended 962 charges for driving a car or boat with cannabis readily available.

With files from the Canadian Press.