Here's Everything You Need To Know About Canada's New Law Against Driving High
With marijuana legalization in Canada comes a whole slew of new regulations about who can grow, where stores can sell, and how much one person is allowed to consume.
But perhaps most anticipated by the public have been the new rules about driving while high. Many questioned just how officers could enforce a law against high driving since marijuana affect users in such a variety of ways.
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A new law aims to clarify rules about high driving by establishing set limits and punishments.
Here's everything you need to know:
It is illegal to drive high but...
There are two levels of offense according to a new limit on THC levels in the blood stream. 2 nanograms of THC in your blood qualifies as a low-level offense. If you have more than 5 nanograms of THC in your bloodsteam, you will face heavier chargers including imprisonment for 30 days. According to this website, for context, four puffs of a joint contain about 57 nanograms of THC.
You will be fined $1000
The fine will be the most common punishment for low-level offenses where nothing was damaged and no one was injured.
The police may take a blood sample
If an officer deems that a blood test is required to assess THC levels, they may assign a qualified physician to draw blood.
You can be arrested even after you park your car
If an officer suspects that you have consumed marijuana and operated a vehicle "within the preceding three hours" they may issue a drug test and arrest you.
Driving high and drunk is a more serious crime
Experts believe that driving high and drunk seriously impairs motor and brain function. Drivers who have both alocohol and THC in their blood streams will face a punishment equal to the sum of those prescribed for each offense.
