Toronto Police policy re officers taking marijuana

                                                           

Toronto police officers won’t be allowed to use recreational cannabis within 28 days of reporting for duty, according to an internal video announcement by police Chief Mark Saunders.

In a statement by police union head, Mike McCormack, he  said that his  union has not yet seen the “draft policy” on cannabis use and will conduct a legal analysis once they have obtained an official copy of the policy. Currently under the Police Services Act, police officers commit misconduct if they consume drugs or alcohol such that they are unfit for duty can be punished by a suspension. 

Ahead of the October 17 legalization date, police forces across the country have begun releasing varied policies on recreational cannabis use.

At the strictest end of such a policy is the Calgary police force where the police force announced a complete ban on recreational cannabis use in any form for officers qualified to carry firearms and who will be  operationally deployed. The Calgary police union has opposed the policy, suggesting it may exceed the authority of the police service to completely restrict the off-duty use of legal substances.

In Vancouver and in Ottawa, officers are permitted to use recreational cannabis as long as they arrive to work “fit for duty.” A 24-hour abstinence period prior to going on duty was rejected by the Vancouver police board out of concern it would lead to confusion about what it takes to be fit for duty.  

                                                        

In my opinion, these police policies are stupid. I will tell you why.

Inhaling the THC hat is  in a marijuana cigarette is the fastest way for marijuana to work. Your bloodstream carries the THC to your brain so quickly that you may start to feel high within seconds or minutes. The amount of THC in your blood typically peaks in about 30 minutes, then tapers off in 1-4 hours. Therefore, if a police officer  just smokes one marijuana cigarette 27 days prior to going on a shift, how will that have an effect on his ability to function properly as a police officer?           In fact, the following day, the officer would not be suffering from the effects of THC. Further, if he or she  was tested, the following day, nothing would show that he or she had smoked a marijuana cigarette at all.

Further, what would the police department do if the officer is legally smoking a marijuana cigarette for medical reasons? Would he be punished?

It is interesting to note that drinking alcohol can have a disabling effect on police officers if they drank alcohol the previous six or seven hours before the officers go on duty and yet there is no policy of not drinking alcohol 28 days before going on duty. 

What the policy should be is as follows;

If an officer shows up impaired (even minutely) , he or she should be suspended for two days, Second offence, a week, third offence, a month and fourth offence, indefinite suspension with directions to be treated for the addiction. If successful, the officer can be then returned to his or her job as a police officer. If he or she  is impaired by drugs or alcohol again while on the job,  he or she should be terminated permanently.