Unsmoked pot pipe earns driver first $230 cannabis ticket in West Van

Calgary man fined for driving while in possession of open and accessible cannabis
Karin Larsen · CBC News · Posted: Nov 07, 2018 2:10 PM PT | Last Updated: November 7

It is illegal to drive with open and accessible cannabis in your car. (Peter Morgan/The Associated Press)
Weed may now be legal in Canada but there are restrictions that users need to pay attention to.

That's what a Calgary man learned the hard way early Tuesday morning when he was stopped at a westbound roadblock on the Lions Gate Bridge and handed a $230 ticket under the new B.C. Cannabis Control and Licensing Act.

The 23-year-old wasn't high and wasn't driving poorly. But he did have an unlit pipe full of marijuana sitting on the centre console of his Jeep.

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"It is important for drivers to make themselves aware of what is and isn't prohibited," said Const. Jeff Palmer of the West Vancouver Police Department. "This issue isn't that the cannabis is possessed to be used. The issue is there's a prohibition of it being possessed in such a way in a motor vehicle."


West Vancouver police issued its first cannabis control act violation ticket to an Alberta man who was stopped at a roadblock and found with a pipe full of cannabis on his centre console. (West Vancouver Police Department)
The Cannabis Control and Licensing Act section 81(1)(a) says "an adult must not operate a vehicle ... while the adult has personal possession of cannabis."

Cannabis in its original unopened packaging, or that is not readily accessible to the driver or any passengers, is permitted in a vehicle.

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Under the new legislation people aged 19 and over can possess up to 30 grams of legal marijuana in B.C.

Palmer says it is the first ticket of its kind issued in West Vancouver since recreational cannabis became legal on Oct. 17.

Well let's face it, they are never going to be cool with any weed near a driver. So act accordingly and put it in the trunk.

The Hippy said:

Well let's face it, they are never going to be cool with any weed near a driver. So act accordingly and put it in the trunk.

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I like to do it like we did. On the down low in a very well sealed jar in the hatch or the glove box under gloves .
Remember when it was illegal and we were all covert about it

There was time when I smoked in the vehicle every time I drove. Never had an accident and I'm a wick good performance oriented driver. I can drive rings around most any driver i ever encounter. I've owned 4 high performance sports cars and never had any trouble or crashed. Smoked in em all since I was teen.
But after seeing what they do to you when you get a dui to a friend....I stopped cold turkey. Not because of my inability to drive but more to their ability to fuck me over. I'd still smoke and drive but won't under these present attitudes.
I also don't fuck with my phone either. Which in my mind is the most dangerous problem by volume we have.

Hippy I agree completely. I used to smoke a doob all the time before i went out. Now I do it when i get home. Or make sure i dont have anywhere to drive for a couple of hours.

But we are not the problem. Its the 20 year old newb who just dabbed a bunch of shatter on his new titanium nail that is going to drive impaired. Or have his papers talk to him etc.

The people that have been using it a long time are not effected like that. But the law has no way to determine impairment. Just that you have so man NM of thc in your system. I still think they need to shift focus to crystal meth and crack and heroin. You know the home wrecking illegal shit.

^^^^^^ agree!

Well I used to smoke a joint while driving quite often. I no longer do this. I no longer have a car, if I did it would be business as usual. I have not been pulled over since .... well a long long time ago.

The Hippy said:

There was time when I smoked in the vehicle every time I drove. Never had an accident and I'm a wick good performance oriented driver. I can drive rings around most any driver i ever encounter. I've owned 4 high performance sports cars and never had any trouble or crashed. Smoked in em all since I was teen.
But after seeing what they do to you when you get a dui to a friend....I stopped cold turkey. Not because of my inability to drive but more to their ability to fuck me over. I'd still smoke and drive but won't under these present attitudes.
I also don't fuck with my phone either. Which in my mind is the most dangerous problem by volume we have.

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Alright I have to ask since Ive always loved cars. What were your 4 sports cars?