Don't drive high: it's not worth the risk
Summer brings lots of fun activities. If you plan to consume cannabis, please remember to plan your safe ride home. Don't drive high.
The THC in cannabis can affect your reaction time, decision-making skills, and ability to judge distances. Drug-affected driving is illegal in BC. As with alcohol, please plan a safe ride home before using cannabis products.
Drug-affected driving is dangerous and against the law. You could face consequences that may include a fine, criminal charges, and even jail time.
Cannabis can impair your ability to drive by affecting:
- balance and coordination
- motor skills
- attention
- judgment
- reaction time
- decision-making skills
A study conducted by the University of British Columbia (UBC) found that, since 2018 when non-medical cannabis was legalized, THC concentrations above the Canadian legal driving limit had been found in 8.6 per cent of drivers, up from 3.8 per cent prior to legalization.
Drug-impaired driving can put you, your passengers and anyone sharing the road with you in danger.
Use of cannabis affects your ability to react and may increase the chances of causing an accident. Don’t get behind the wheel or get in a car with a drug-affected driver. Do plan a safe, alternative way to get home. BC has a zero-tolerance policy for drivers in the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP).
Mixing cannabis with alcohol may increase your level of impairment and may lead to an even greater risk of an accident.
There are many things you can do instead of getting behind the wheel after using cannabis. So, no matter what you do. Don’t drive high.
Sources: Health Canada: Don’t Drive High, University of British Columbia
