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Charlottetown Police Services is working collaboratively with the PEI Department of Justice and Public Safety on creating awareness around the risks associated with the consumption of Cannabis and operating a motor vehicle. Public Safety Canada released this statement on December 5 2017: According to recent public opinion research, half of youth (50%) aged 16-24 believe that driving while under the influence of cannabis is more socially acceptable than driving under the influence of alcohol. Youth need to know the real facts about driving while impaired by cannabis or other drugs. Public Safety Canada Quick Facts December 5 2017:
- 22% of youth who have used cannabis said they drove while impaired and most said they did it because they don’t think it’s as dangerous as drunk driving.
- One in three Canadians report that they have ridden in a vehicle operated by a driver who was under the effects of cannabis.
- 28% of Canadians who have used cannabis say they have operated a vehicle while under the influence.
- The Government of Canada is working on an ongoing basis with federal, provincial and territorial partners and stakeholders, including MADD Canada, Young Drivers of Canada, the Canadian Automobile Association and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police to help raise awareness of the dangers of drug-impaired driving.
- Drug-impaired driving violations have been on the rise in Canada since data became available in 2009. In 2016, there were 3,098 incidents of police-reported drug-impaired driving, an increase of 11% over the previous year.
- The percentage of Canadian drivers fatally injured in vehicle crashes who test positive for drugs (40%) now exceeds that of drivers who test positive for alcohol (33.3%).
The public is encouraged to visit these website links produced by Public Safety Canada.