Driver charged during RIDE program in Owen Sound.

On Tuesday evening Owen Sound Police Officers were conducting driver sobriety checks as part of a RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) program, when a motorist was stopped at approximately 10:45 pm in the 1500 block of 6th Avenue East. The officer detected a very strong odour of marihuana emanating from inside of the vehicle. Further investigation fortunately revealed that the 31 year old driver was not driving impaired but he was operating his motor vehicle with cannabis readily available.

Drivers must remember that although cannabis use and its possession are now permitted, there are rules governing transporting cannabis in a motorized vehicle. Similar to the rules for alcohol, if you are transporting cannabis in a motor vehicle it must be either:

* unopened (“fastened”) and in its original packaging

* package in baggage that is fastened closed and is not readily available to anyone in the vehicle

The driver on this date not only had his cannabis seized by the officers he was issued a ticket under the Cannabis Control Act of Ontario for having it readily available while driving, this comes with an out of court fine of a total of $215.00.

source: media release, OSPS