Infographic - Driving impaired is illegal

Infographic - Drug-impaired driving is illegal

Download this infographic (PDF, 790 KB)

Infographic - Drug-impaired driving is illegal - Text version

Drug-impaired driving is illegal

Drug-impaired driving offences happen every three hoursFootnote 1 in Canada.

And that’s incredibly dangerous, since drugs affect your ability to concentrate, make decisions and react quicklyFootnote 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 vehicleFootnote 3.

Law enforcement is trained to spot drug-impaired drivers.

  • Drug Recognition Experts (DREs) - 1,200+ certified DREs in CanadaFootnote 4
  • Standard Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) - 14,400+ trained SFST officersFootnote 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 $1000Footnote 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 imprisonmentFootnote 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 prohibitedFootnote 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.

  • 81% of Canadians believe that consuming cannabis affects your ability to driveFootnote 6.
  • 61% of cannabis users have never driven within two hours of consuming cannabisFootnote 6.
  • 69% of Canadians have never been a passenger in a vehicle with a high driverFootnote 6.
  • 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

    Page details

    Date modified: