It’s a new world out there now that Cannabis is officially legal in Canada.
Although some rules have loosened, others remain strict.
The Saanich police recently ticketed a passenger of a vehicle this week for smoking a joint while their friend was driving.
They were caught while police were conducting an enforcement campaign at the intersection of Quadra Street and McKenzie Avenue, which is one of the highest crash zones on Vancouver Island.
In addition to the Motor Vehicle Act violations one ticket was issued under the new Cannabis Control and Licensing Act, when an officer observed a passenger in a vehicle smoking a cannabis cigarette.
The passenger was issued a violation ticket for $230 as Section 65 of the Act does not allow occupants of a vehicle to use cannabis.
During the stop the Saanich Police says that officers spoke to the driver and, after a conversation with him, were satisfied his ability to operate a motor vehicle had not been affected by his passengers’ use of cannabis.
“The Saanich Police Department continues to use standard field sobriety testing when drug impaired driving is suspected” said Sgt. Jereme Leslie. “This is nothing new to the Saanich Police Department and around half the officers in Saanich are trained to do this testing.”
