Really? Canada Isn't Ready For Pot?

[Poindexter]

Legalization won't change the number of people driving stoned, think most would be shocked to find out how many chronics are driving stoned everyday. Not saying it's right but those who fear the roads will become more dangerous once legalized are ignoring the reality of who they're currently sharing the road with.

[Veovis]

Legalization won't change the number of people driving stoned, think most would be shocked to find out how many chronics are driving stoned everyday. Not saying it's right but those who fear the roads will become more dangerous once legalized are ignoring the reality of who they're currently sharing the road with.

You'd be surprised how many chronic alcoholics are on the road driving fine as well, much like the stoners. However the casual user that will be more inclined, I think will, create an uptick in the # of "impaired" drivers.

I just want them to have systems in place instead of "budgets will balance themselves" type management of yet another issue.

[maryjane48]

The federal government has released a draft of its planned drug concentration levels but admits the new rules provide no guidance on how much marijuana it would take to push a driver over the legal limit.

"It should be noted that THC is a more complex molecule than alcohol and the science is unable to provide general guidance to drivers about how much cannabis can be consumed before it is unsafe to drive or before the proposed levels would be exceeded," an analysis statement released with the draft regulations said.



The lack of clarity worries Kyla Lee, a Vancouver-based criminal defence lawyer who specializes in impaired driving cases.

"That is incredibly troubling because, as the public, we have no knowledge of what it is we can and can't do and what it is we should do."

She said that simply saying: "Don't use marijuana and drive," isn't good enough. Lee points to the differences in how each person metabolizes marijuana and how long traces of the drug can stay in someone's system.

"You can never actually know if you're complying or not complying with the law," she said.


The government has drafted legislation that would create three new offences for drugged driving including a summary offence for people with THC in their system but not enough for them to be impaired.

The government explains that the summary offence is not directly linked to impairment but rather is "based on a precautionary or a crime prevention approach."

Drivers who have a blood drug concentration of more than two nanograms of THC (per mililitre of blood) but less than five nanograms could be found guilty of drugged driving under the proposed summary offence, which has a maximum fine of $1,000.

Drivers caught with more than five nanograms of THC in their blood would be guilty of impaired driving, while drivers with both alcohol and THC in their system would be considered impaired if they have more than 50 miligrams of alcohol (per 100 mililitres of blood) and greater than 2.5 nanograms of THC in their blood.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/drugged ... -1.4354336

[ferri]

Corrections

An earlier version of this story incorrectly said drivers with a blood drug concentration of more than 2.5 nanograms of THC (per millilitre of blood) could be found guilty of drugged driving under the proposed summary offence. The correct figure is over two nanograms per millilitre of blood.
Oct 13, 2017 10:58 PM ET

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/drugged ... -1.4354336

[Chyren]

What about simply not driving after using marihuana? What a wacky concept...