People throughout Canada are embracing cannabis more because of its legal status and effectiveness with medical and therapeutic issues. As such, it's important to learn what laws you are bound to should you decide to consume cannabis. The country recently passed a new set of laws that clarifies driving while impaired charges for people who consume and drive. So what details should you know about when you're trying to understand your legal rights and responsibilities? Here's what you should know about cannabis impaired driving laws in Canada.
Canada is Zero Tolerance if You're Under 21 If you're going to use cannabis, it's important to understand the legal landscape first. Similar to alcohol consumption, there's a zero tolerance policy for cannabis users under the age of 21. This means that it's illegal for them to consume any amount of the plant, and doing so means they're automatically in violation even when registering THC in their blood stream. There's also zero tolerance if you're driving on a commercial driver's license or certain government vehicles. Get to Know the Limits for Legal Users So what is the limit for people legally allowed to consume cannabis? You're potentially subject to charges when your blood stream measures 2 ng per ml or greater, based on your first 2 hours of driving after consuming. The penalties progress the more THC you have in your system. You also double your charges when you have both cannabis and alcohol over the limit in your system at the time of the test. A lot of factors play into how impaired you get when using cannabis. The method of consumption makes a difference, for instance, since edibles and tinctures can affect people with more potency. Understand the Potential Penalties You need to understand what you're up against if you do get charged with driving while impaired case. Smaller infractions, such as for those registering between 2 ng per ml and 5 ng per ml can mean a fine of $1,000. This applies to toxicology content that is taken within 2 hours of you driving . If you register 5 ng per ml or more you'll face a minimum fine of $1,000, licence prohibition, and possible jail time. Find Legal Representation for Impaired Driving Charges Above all, you need to be certain that you hire legal representation that will help you with your case. Bringing legal professionals on board will help you get the charges dismissed, or at least make sure you're treated fairly. Choose a lawyer that is already adept at driving while impaired cases to make sure they're up to date on the newest cannabis laws. Hire a Criminal Lawyer for Your Impaired Driving Case These points show you exactly what you need to know about impaired driving cases in Canada. Cannabis is reaching legal status in places all over the world, and this will naturally come with changes in laws for legal use -- particularly when driving. The Richard Allman Law firm would be happy to help you out. Take the time to contact us using our form, or by phone at (519)940-0415 in Orangeville and (905)454-0397 in Brampton.