Drug Screeners

Driving while impaired by cannabis is dangerous and illegal. Law enforcement are trained to detect and deter drug-impaired driving.

Current procedures

Police officers across Canada are trained to detect and deter drug-impaired driving using Standard Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evaluation.

Law enforcement continues to enforce drug-impaired driving. You can be charged for driving while impaired by a drug, with or without the use of drug screeners.

Future changes

The new legislation is permitting the Attorney General of Canada to approve the use of approved roadside drug screeners as an additional tool available for law enforcement. Under the Act to amend the Criminal Code (offences relating to conveyances) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, a drug screener could be used to help police officers detect the presence of a drug and remove drivers under the influence from the road.

A pilot project conducted by Public Safety Canada and the RCMP, in collaboration with the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, helped determine that drug screeners have the potential to enhance the enforcement of drug-impaired driving laws in Canada.

The Drugs and Driving Committee of the Canadian Society of Forensic Science is currently evaluating a number of drug screeners. Screeners meeting the Evaluation Standards and Procedures will be recommended to the Attorney General of Canada for approval for use.

For more information

• Oral Fluid Drug Screening Devices Pilot Project