The Grey Bruce Community Safety and Well-Being Plan committee will host an online panel on cannabis and driving.
This online panel will be done in partnership with the Regional Road Safety Committee (RRSC).
The free event will feature experts from the Ministry of Transportation, the Windsor Regional Trauma and Injury Prevention Program, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), people with lived experience, and Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving (OSAID).
Topics will include the effects of cannabis on driving ability and reaction time, current laws and enforcement related to cannabis-impaired driving, the medical and trauma impacts seen in hospitals following collisions, youth perspectives on cannabis use and road safety, and education and prevention strategies to reduce impaired driving in local communities.
The panel will take place from noon until 1 p.m. on Wednesday, December 3 on Microsoft Teams.
The link to register can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/cannabis-impaired-driving-panel-discussion-tickets-1788092937109?aff=oddtdtcreator
"As cannabis becomes more normalized, it’s crucial that drivers, especially young people, understand the risks and realities of driving while impaired," said Matt Evans from OSAID. "This event is about awareness, education, and prevention. We want everyone to get home safely."
"Driving impaired by cannabis is just as dangerous and illegal as driving under the influence of alcohol," said Jeremy White, West Grey Police Chief and CSWBP Crime Prevention Action Table Vice Chair. "Education is key to prevention, and this kind of event helps keep that message front and centre."
Additionally, OSAID is offering 20 grants of $500 to high schools across Ontario to raise awareness about safe driving behaviours including the risk of driving under the influence of cannabis. More information and application details are available at https://www.osaid.ca/school-grants.
