Infographic - Driving impaired is illegal

Drug-impaired driving is illegal

Drug-impaired driving offences happen every three hours^{Footnote 1} in Canada.

And that’s incredibly dangerous, since drugs affect your ability to concentrate, make decisions and react quickly^{Footnote 2} when driving. Drug-impaired driving is also a criminal offence, with serious consequences.

Don’t risk a criminal record. Understand and follow Canada’s impaired driving laws to stay safe when you’re on the road.

Drug-impaired driving laws apply to:

• cars
• trucks
• boats
• aircrafts
• and every other motor vehicle^{Footnote 3}.

Law enforcement is trained to spot drug-impaired drivers.

• Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) - 1,200+ certified DREs in Canada^{Footnote 4}
• Standard Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) - 14,400+ trained SFST officers^{Footnote 4}

The law isn’t hazy

Having prohibited levels of impairing drugs in your blood within two hours of driving is a criminal offence

There are two prohibited levels for THC, the primary psychoactive component of cannabis:

• It is a serious offence to have between 2 nanograms (ng) and 5 ng of THC per ml of blood. This can result in a fine of up to $1000^{Footnote 5}.
• It is a more serious offence to have 5 ng of THC or more per ml of blood. This can result in up to 10 years imprisonment^{Footnote 5}.

Having any detectable amount of LSD, psilocybin, psilocin ("magic mushrooms"), methamphetamine, 6-mam (a metabolite of heroin), GHB (over 5mg/L), ketamine, PCP or cocaine in your system within two hours of driving is also prohibited^{Footnote 5}.

Driving high is not worth the risk

Penalties for committing this conduct can vary, depending on the alcohol or drug concentration, whether it is your first or a repeated offence, and whether you have caused bodily harm or death to another person.

Follow their lead

Never drive high or get in the car with a high driver.

Plan ahead to get home safely

• Take public transit
• Have a designate driver
• Call a friend or loved one
• Call a cab or rideshare
• Stay over

#DontDriveHigh