Can Police Test Drivers For Impairment For Cannabis Based on Odour Alone?

Article by Arundati Dandapani, The Fresh Toast

Legal cannabis is still a relatively new industry in North America. Complete legalization of cannabis took place in Canada in October 2018. The laws in Canada and the U.S. with relation to legal cannabis continue to differ for the main reason that the U.S. has not yet federally legalized cannabis (it is only fully legal medically and for adult use in 11 states), although over three-quarters of the American public report being in favour of complete legalization.

In Canada, the annual cannabis illicit and licit market constitutes about $7.6 billion annually, according to Vividata’s National Cannabis Study 2019. While Canada’s black market is still popular among 2.4 million Canadians who buy from unlicensed sources — primarily for reasons like lower price point, trusted relationships, convenience and confusion around what’s legal — it is worth noting that 53 percent of current cannabis users obtained cannabis from legal sources versus the 38 percent who obtained it from the black market.

“Driving while high” remains a concern for advocates of the responsible consumption of cannabis in Canada. Organizations like Responsible Cannabis Use are doing their part to spread knowledge and information around the federal and provincial rules around possession and consumption with respect to driver safety, police-user interactions and other road-testing information.

Read the full article here.