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RCMP sets rules for cannabis and cops

Where, when and how often public servants can consume cannabis come Oct. 17 has been a burning question since legalization passed into royal ascent.

Now, the RCMP – Canada's federal police force – has answered.

Off-duty Yellowknife RCMP G Division members, along with their colleagues across the country, are allowed to consume cannabis – but can't within 28 days of shift.

The force cites safety and a lack of evidence related to cannabis impairment as justification for the mandatory month-long gap between consumption and police service.

Mounties’ revised “substance use policy” will take effect when legalization does, on Oct. 17, stated a national spokesperson in an email to Yellowknifer.

“The policy reflects the duty of care the RCMP has for its members and the communities it serves,” stated the spokesperson.

All regular member officers assume “safety-sensitive positions,” stated RCMP, meaning they must remain alert and be at the top of their mental and physical game to avoid accidents or inadequate response times.

But some critics say the new guidelines go too far.

“It's a knee-jerk reaction. It's not based on good research and unfortunately I think it's inevitably going to lead to conflict,”  said Canadian Police Association president Tom Stamatakis in an interview with Yellowknifer. “It's not a practical policy by any stretch.”

By imposing a 28-day restriction on cannabis use for its members, Stamatakis said the RCMP is “effectively creating an outright prohibition.”

“I don't know too many people that have the ability to take 29 days off work so that can consume marijuana one day and then have 28 clear days before ... they go to work,” he said.

The RCMP says the policy is based on scientific evidence – and a lack thereof.

“Science shows that cannabis can intoxicate beyond initial consumption and that there are no established safe limits or data on how it affects performance,” say RCMP, citing findings made by the Government of Canada.

But with an absence of “established scientific information about cannabis impairment,” the RCMP says it’s taking a measured approach when it comes to regulating cannabis use by its employees.

“The RCMP policy is taking a careful approach at this time to ensure workplace and public safety is maintained at all times,” states the online release.

But Stamatakis says he's unaware of scientific evidence that would warrant a 28-day prohibition on the use of cannabis for RCMP members.

“To create these artificial prohibitions – I'm not aware of any evidence that supports doing that, frankly.”

Stamatakis believes post-legalization policies should mirror the current conditions placed on other legal drugs.

“It's going to be legal – why not treat it the way we treat alcohol or prescription drugs?,” said Stamatakis.

The new guidelines do acknowledge the vast gap in restrictions between legal weed and alcohol, but  cite the uncertainty of marijuana's impact on work performance and impairment as a catalyst in the decision making.

RCMP members won’t face random drug tests, the new guidelines stipulate.

That leaves Stamatakis wondering how it will be determined if an officer has used cannabis within 28 days of reporting to duty.

“It's a poorly thought out policy decision because how do you assess impairment? How do you manage accidental exposures to cannabis? Where will they find the resources to assess officers? There's a lot of questions,” he said.

Stamatakis would like to see the “impractical” policy approach scrapped for the status quo.

“From my perspective, a reasonable approach would be continue to demand that when officers report for duty they're fit for duty, not impaired by any substance. There should be zero tolerance approach in the workplace,” he said.

He said the new approach is a ill-thought blanket approach to confronting cannabis legalization.

“Creating a policy that's going to have a negative impact on the vast majority of your members who are responsible, who report to work everyday fit for duty, so they can manage those few exceptions, is not the right way to create workplace policy and it's the kind of response from the RCMP  that has led to so many issues in the organization, frankly,” added Stamatakis.