Final preparations are taking place in 20 Cannabis NB locations throughout New Brunswick that will open as cannabis use becomes legal across Canada on Wednesday.
Marijuana legalization will impact many segments of society including those whose job is to keep the public safe.
“Obviously, this is a big change for everybody in Canada,” said Wayne Gallant, president of the New Brunswick Association of Chiefs of Police.
“Culturally it’s a big change.”
READ MORE: Halifax police officers not allowed to smoke cannabis nearly a month before duty
Gallant is chief of the Kennebecasis Regional Police force just outside Saint John and knows some people are wondering if police are prepared for the changing dynamic.
“I think they can have a high confidence level that the police are ready but that things will change over time.”
Gallant is referring to change in how the law regarding smoking pot in public places is responded to by police. He says don’t expect a heavy-handed approach at first.
Their biggest challenge and still top priority is impaired driving.
“We’re going to be as aggressive as we’ve always been,” Gallant said.
“We need to erase that from the culture in Canada, whether it’s drug or alcohol and it remains a problem.”
About one quarter of police officers in the province are now trained for field sobriety testing and, although fewer, there are also specially trained drug recognition experts strategically located.
Meanwhile, Mothers Against Drunk Driving join police in expressing the need to educate youth about the dangers of cannabis, saying studies speak for themselves.
“It has been proven that cannabis can double the risk of an impaired driving crash,” said Gina Hooley, president of the Saint John and Area Chapter of M.A.D.D.
“It has been shown that it heightens people’s abilities so the reaction could be heightened which could cause crashes.”
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And they don’t want to add to the statistic that impaired driving is the leading criminal cause of death in Canada.
“Impaired is impaired whether you’re impaired by prescription, medication, health conditions, alcohol or drugs which includes cannabis,” Hooley said.
As far as cannabis use for front-line police officers, there is no province-wide policy in place as of yet. It is currently on a force-by-force basis.
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