97 drivers tested positive for cannabis during enforcement campaign: Winnipeg police

Arturo Chang · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 10, 2025 3:24 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

Results from a recent traffic enforcement run amusement much needs to beryllium done to amended Winnipeggers about the dangers of getting down the instrumentality portion high, constabulary say.

Out of 207 drivers screened for drugs as portion of this year's Don't Drive High campaign, 97 tested affirmative for cannabis consumption, metropolis constabulary said astatine a quality league Thursday.

That's 47 per cent oregon astir fractional of the drivers who were tested from January to March, which constabulary said is successful enactment with figures from the aforesaid time last year, erstwhile 43 per cent of the 148 drivers who got oral fluid tests were affirmative for the drug.

"Obviously, these results are highly concerning," said patrol Sgt. Stephane Fontaine, the Winnipeg police impaired driving countermeasures co-ordinator.

"It conscionable simply reiterates the value of our continued efforts on enforcement, acquisition and ultimately, the request to proceed our effort to combat impaired driving, whether it's by intoxicant oregon drugs."

Police said the run resulted successful 86 Provincial Offences Act tickets, including 19 for improper retention of cannabis in vehicles and 4 for depletion of cannabis portion wrong a vehicle.

Fontaine said 1 operator was besides charged criminally for refusing to beryllium tested.

All drivers who tested affirmative for cannabis got sanctioned and had their licences suspended roadside, helium said.

"If you are going to take to consume, whether it's intoxicant oregon drugs, you really request to marque a program not to drive," Fontaine said. "That is the safest and easiest solution to this problem."

Police performed a full of 302 postulation stops arsenic portion of the campaign. Fontaine said that dissimilar with alcohol, cannabis depletion is not focused betwixt the evening and early morning.

"People look to deliberation that it's OK to bash this passim the day," helium said.

The bulk of affirmative tests were recovered betwixt 3 and 6 p.m., helium said.

Focus connected dispensaries

The drivers who tested affirmative were recovered each crossed the city, but the run focused connected postulation to and from cannabis dispensaries, helium said.

"There's implicit 103 oregon truthful dispensaries passim the City of Winnipeg, truthful what I did was I made a program to fundamentally people those areas," Fontaine said.

"The officers inactive person to signifier the due grounds to marque each of their lawful demands … but that's wherever they spent their time."

The campaign was launched successful concern with Manitoba Public Insurance and the Manitoba government. It got $35,000 successful backing from the province.

Its acquisition constituent includes a societal media and integer ads targeting recreational and medicinal cannabis users.

Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said the run is arsenic overmuch astir raising consciousness arsenic it is astir enforcement.

"That connection of 'don't portion and drive' … continues to get through, but erstwhile it comes to cannabis, there's a batch of misconceptions," the curate said.

"This benignant of enactment that we're doing present … truly makes a large quality getting the connection out."