By Scott Roblin

Marijuana checkstop arrest highlights police push for safer roads

Dec 18, 2017 | 4:02 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – It was a busy weekend for Medicine Hat Police, pulling over close to 1,400 vehicles on Friday night and Saturday morning as part of their holiday checkstop program.

Among those cars stopped included a motorist suspected of driving under the influence of marijuana.

According to police, the male driver was issued a 24-hour suspension and his vehicle was seized, however he was not charged.

Currently, it’s up to the discretion of Medicine Hat Police whether to issue a suspension or lay charges when it comes to drivers impaired by cannabis.

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Insp. Joe West said there’s a few ways officers are trained to identify when motorists are driving under the influence of marijuana.

“Whether he’s maybe seen a pipe, odour is usually a real big indicator with drivers who have been consuming marijuana,” said West. “And then, the officer can go through with determining on the level of impairment.”

Local police are trained in roadside sobriety tests, but don’t possess any instruments like a breathalyzer to measure THC levels, which is the active mind-altering chemical in marijuana.

As a result, West said they’re hoping to train more officers in becoming experts in drug recognition.

“The field sobriety test would be similar to an alcohol screening device that’s used on the spot,” said West. “If you fail the field sobriety test, a drug recognition expert would be brought in to determine the type of drug that the person may be impaired by and the level of impairment. And, that will play to the charges that will be laid.”

Proposed federal legislation would see drivers face fines at two nanograms of THC per millilitre of blood, and stiffer penalties including charges at five nanograms per millilitre.

West meanwhile is hoping a standardized device will be developed by the federal government before marijuana becomes legal in July.