The Sarnia Police Service say they've seen a spike in impaired driving charges since marijuana was legalized in Canada last fall.
Cst. Shawn Urban said with less than two weeks to go in 2019, the service has already reached a 15-year high when it comes to all types of impaired driving charges.
"I don't have any specific data regarding cannabis [impaired driving], however ironically, after October of last year is when the spike began," said Cst. Urban. "My theory, and it's my theory alone, it seems as though people who used to drink and drive and be able to make it home, now might drink and drive and consume, possibly, some cannabis, and the combination of the two just increases that impairment, and that's why we're having people with single motor vehicle accidents and hitting things that they shouldn't have and things of that nature."
Cst. Urban said they've laid 14 or 15 impaired by drug charges in 2019, compared to about 3 or 4 in 2018.
He said most of those charges involve poly drug use.
"When we do impaired by drug and get the toxicology back, it never just says cannabis, it never just says fentanyl, it's a whole bunch of different substances."
Cst. Urban said they're also still seeing a big issue with people drinking and driving.
"So in the last eight weeks we've had three individuals provide breath samples that were over four-and-half times the legal limit. It was amazing that they could even function, let alone operate a vehicle."
Cst. Urban said they've charged six drivers with refusal to provide a breath sample in 2019.
"Just to make it clear, if you're in a position where an officer has a roadside screening device and is giving you a demand or you've been arrested for impaired driving or you're at the police station in front of the intoxilyzer, you must provide a breath sample, otherwise you get charged with refused, it's an elevated fine [of $2,000] and it becomes more aggravating for the court," he said. "Before December 18, 2018, we needed some kind of suspicion of alcohol consumption, where now, we can give any vehicle a roadside screening device demand."
Cst. Urban said police continue to try new ways to crack down on impaired driving.
"It could be a day of 'we're going to pull over every car that ends in '8' and see if they've been drinking,' and the reason for that is some people who drink alcohol, police officers don't detect that they've been drinking alcohol."
