Police see 'troubling trend' in drug-impaired driving

Thunder Bay - According to city police, the number of people driving under the influence of drugs is almost equal to the number driving under the influence of alcohol. 

Constable Tom Armstrong of the police traffic unit said the number of drug-impaired drivers police have found this year shows a "concerning trend."

He said, "This problem is very prevalent in our city, and we certainly don't see any signs of it going away."

As of February 7, 2025, city police have laid 28 drug-impaired driving charges.

Armstrong said police often encounter drivers who have used cannabis.

"It's surprising how often we encounter drivers who have used cannabis, which is concerning."

Armstrong added that drivers seem unaware of how much cannabis they have consumed and how it can affect their driving.

"It can be a bit difficult for people to determine how much they've consumed or how long it lasts, but the effects can be significant, and all these drugs, especially cannabis, can impair your ability to drive.

This is something we see often, and people seem a bit casual about cannabis and driving, which is a big concern for us."

During the 2024 holiday RIDE program,police found that drug and alcohol impairment charges were almost 50-50; a total of 83 drivers were impaired by drugs, and 81 drivers were impaired by alcohol or refused to provide a sample.

The officer noted that historically, when arresting suspects impaired by drugs, three classes of drugs are typically found in the suspect's system.

"The two main drugs that really stand out are central nervous system stimulants, usually like cocaine, and the other is narcotic analgesics, which are drugs like heroin and fentanyl."

The third class is cannabis.

Although the number of novice drivers charged with drunk driving has risen recently, Armstrong said there is no similar trend in drug-impaired driving.

Armstrong said, "The effects of drug-impaired driving can be long-term, not only on your physical ability to operate a vehicle, but also on the level of cannabis in your blood."

"If you use any of these controlled substances, you obviously need to be very, very careful, especially with cannabis, because it's now common in society, and we see a lot of it."

Armstrong said the increase in drug-impaired arrests is partly due to enhanced police training.

Source:  https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/police-see-concerning-trend-in-drug-impaired-driving-10211207