The use of medical marihuana by RCMP members has raised questions that warrant explanation.
- RCMP doctors do not prescribe medical marihuana, but it can be prescribed to an RCMP member by their family physician, providing they qualify under Health Canada’s guidelines for the medical marihuana program.
- Any member on a mind-altering drug — such as marihuana, OxyContin, Dilaudid — is not permitted to perform operational duties, including carrying a firearm or operating a police vehicle, as this could pose a risk to themselves, a co-worker or the public.
- RCMP policy requires members to report anything that is likely to be hazardous to an employee’s health and safety or that of other people in the workplace. RCMP members can be held accountable for their actions or omissions, and the potential impact these decisions may have on the safety of other RCMP employees.
Post-traumatic stress disorder — and any work-related injury for that matter — is a real issue for our organization that we take very seriously.
We are continuously working to strengthen the support we can offer employees affected by operational stress injuries. The Commissioner has made it clear both publicly and to the employees of the RCMP that if you get sick or injured on the job, we will look after you — and we will do it fairly.
We will also do it with the view of returning employees to being contributing, productive and healthy members of the Force.
For more information on services available to RCMP members suffering from mental health issues such as PTSD, please visit: http://www.rcmp.gc.ca/fam/ptsd-tspt-eng.htm.
