Liberals promising to deal with marijuana threat to road safety
OTTAWA — Before proceeding with its pot-legalization agenda next spring, the Liberal government is promising to tackle the issue of drug-impaired driving, which bureaucrats say could spike considerably if marijuana becomes legal.
Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould was warned by officials in January of the risks, a classified briefing document obtained by The Canadian Press shows.
“The legalization of marijuana could lead to a significant increase in drug-impaired driving cases,” the memorandum reads.
Bureaucrats say there is limited data as only two jurisdictions in the United States have legalized marijuana: Colorado and Washington.
“For example, in Colorado, in the year following marijuana legalization, there was a 32 per cent increase in marijuana-related traffic deaths,” the memo reads.
Liberal MP Bill Blair, a former Toronto police chief and now parliamentary secretary to Wilson-Raybould, says the issue is already a serious problem in Canada and that legalization could lead to more cases.
“That’s...
This marijuana news is brought to you by 420 Intel. For the latest breaking cannabis industry news, subscribe to the 420 Intel newsletter. If you'd like to promote your product or service in this area after every article, contact us.
Follow us on Instagram
Connect with us on Linkedin