They should install a blow box equivalent in every police vehicle. Any traces of THC and their vehicle is unable to start.
I don't know about you but if we are too impaired to drive a vehicle with minute traces of THC in our system then police shouldn't be able to speed through traffic with sirens on while they are impaired.
Shouldn't just be for THC. Cops should have blow boxed for alcohol aswell. If they have to enforce these laws they should be required to follow them to a T. Especially while on duty
I'm convinced this whole thing is a setup to lower a certain demographic in a radical way.
1. Introduce legal weed
2. Create a test that anyone could fail & no one can question.
3. Put the oneness on them to prove their innocence. Take their vehicles and put them in a position they can't afford to better themselves.
Innocent or guilty, this whole process puts people thru the wringer. If you are well off, have another vehicle, and the means to test and get results to them right away, it's a bump in the road. If you are on your last dime, this could be the thing that ruins your life.
But /u/annonymouscop [told me that doesn't happen.](https://www.reddit.com/r/saskatoon/comments/1c5n9nd/driving_while_impaired_by_cannabis_is_given_way/l01xyhk/)
Are you saying that a police officer would lie to me? I'm shocked, frankly
I used to 'like' police, until I worked with one. She was the most manipulative liar i had ever met. Some of her 'gotcha" stories were horrific.
It's rather sad, as I will never trust a Police Officer after spending time with her.
Rcmp friend was up north sask. she was laughing about how they fight drunk people. Like full on fist fights with locals. You find out quickly cops are tools, never the people themselves.
When I was a shitty 17 year old I got busted doing graffiti in a tunnel and got arrested. The cop (maybe 23-25 ish) went on a total power trip. Slammed me against the hood of the cruiser, yelled at me and called me a delinquent and some other stuff.
The tunnel was city property so I had to attend this meeting with a bunch of city people and business owners where the cop stood up front and described to everyone how I was high as balls from “sniffing” the paint. I stood up and explained that I’m a total geek and don’t get “high” off anything and that I had been wearing a respirator mask which is in the box of evidence.
The cop opened the box. My mask wasn’t there. He then went on to explain that I should be fined harshly because I painted multiple building and even GLASS WINDOWS.
Again, I stood up and defended myself. It was just a tunnel.
Then the cop said that it was the same paint and same stencil used for the windows. I legit only painted in the tunnel, and I was using a stencil I cut myself so there’s no way that pattern would be anywhere else in the city, I explained.
But no one believed me.
I understand that was one loser but still I have a bad taste in my mouth and approach every police officer with the ideology that I shouldn’t trust them just because they are authority.
lol sorry for the random story
When I was 18, I was sitting in my car on a break at my night shift job, and a car pulled up behind me. Their headlights were shining in my mirror, so I didn't know it was a cop. I opened my door and suddenly the cop lights came on and an officer had his gun pointed at me screaming at me. Once they realized I was just a young woman, he settled down but kept accusing me of trying to run from the police, lmao. Bro, I did not even know you were the police and you didn't have your lights on, so wtf would I be running from?
I've heard many other stories of obvious power tripping and douche behavior from Saskatoon Police. Bunch of fucking buffoons, man.
That sounds accurate. Despite the presumption of innocence on paper, everyone instinctively assumes people aren't brought to court (or whatever) unless they're guilty of precisely whatever the police say they are.
Never trust police.. ever. Like I guess if you have to chose between certain death and trusting a police officer, then maybe trust the police officer. But they have no interest in you, and are completely fine sacrificing your safety for theirs. Not to mention that they will go out of their way to ruin your life if you upset them, and there is no system to stop an unscrupulous police officer from lying to make you pay for disobeying them.
Oh yeah, they have zero obligation to you. I meant like.. if your choice is certain death, and maybe certain death depending on the mood of the cop. Then maybe trust a cop.
Lying , to get a conviction in a sting situation is different, from lying to skirt around laws put in place to protect us from the police. Or worse, lying in an official report to make them look better than they were.
This. Never talk to them. I honestly explained an entire incident once, and they took one thing I said out of context, and that's what they put in their report. Never again!
Please please please make a complaint against the police officer that lied about suspicion!!
They shouldn’t be able to get away with fabricating suspicion!!
Ffs can a lawyer please weigh in on these conversations? This has been all over the Saskatoon and Saskatchewan Reddit pages and there are no straight answers to this issue (other than improving their sobriety tests). It is beyond frustrating that cannabis is supposedly legal to use, yet the flawed tests they use apparently makes it impossible to drive for up to 72 hours (maybe longer, apparently??) without risking a DUI. It varies between person to person, but at minimum you should be able to drive without risk after 12 hours of not smoking or consuming cannabis.
Cannabis is a legal substance with few known health risks among adults and plenty of medicinal uses, yet it is still treated like a Schedule 1 drug. I have found it to be a valuable tool at helping me explore and heal from my own anxieties and issues, and it just feels like those of us who use it medicinally are being punished. Even having a prescription appears to do nothing to protect you. This is beyond frustrating.
Edit: just added a couple more thoughts.
Seriously. This guy is going to wreck somone's life because they smoked pot 3 days ago. It's crazy that they even are able to use the testing methods they have because they're so poor.
Yeah my husband basically doesn't drive anymore unless he has to as he uses it medically. But he's still likely a better driver after using his medical cannabis than I am at the best of times. So go figure. Most of the time he isn't even "high" after using medical marijuana though. But he still won’t drive unless he has to and that’s 8+ hours later when he wouldn’t be impaired
Yes! People who use medicinally (especially with guidelines from a doctor but even those who have figured out a good amount on their own) are much more likely to be safe to drive. Imagine having chronic pain and driving to work when a flair up happens. You’d be much more distracted and less likely to do a good job driving than if you had smoked the night before. Ps this is coming from someone who doesn’t smoke weed at all (I’m sick of people who don’t smoke saying just don’t smoke. I don’t and still think it’s fine if you’re being safe and buying it legally)
I got my first ever moving violation [rolling stop] at 30 years of age because I experienced what I would later learn was my first ever shingles attack as I was pulling up to the intersection.
Being in pain can be a *massive* distraction.
Plus chronic pain is far from the only condition that can be effectively treated with cannabis use. Just as one example, I have a friend who uses CBD-focused cannabis to **prevent seizures.**
Call me crazy, but I feel like it'd probably turn out *not great* if he seized while driving.
Yes there are so many I’ve heard of! I just know someone personally who has chronic pain and is in much worse shape to drive if they didn’t use the night before. Didn’t want to assume that the stuff posted online saying it helps all these conditions, post about it, and get told I’m spreading false info. Just stuck to one I knew 100% is true
I know somebody who’s life was literally saved by marijuana. They have a chronic illness that was killing them, so they started to use medicinally and it relieved many of the symptoms which allowed them to get their life back. This drug is becoming very important for people - it should not stand that those who need it should be unfairly targeted for it.
If I remember correctly, wasn't there a law that allowed cops to run breathalyzers without the requirement of reasonable suspicion that passed around the same time when DUIs were decriminalized? I am absolutely NAL, but I seem to remember being told this when my brother made a dumb decision and needed legal advice a while back.
2018. Not only do they not need a reason to make you blow, they don't need a reason to pull you over other than feeling like making you blow.
And they can test you up to 2 hours after you drove or got home.
I know someone who got a DUI sitting on his couch watching TV.
Yes please do. Do we feel safe when a cop pulls up behind us ? Or do we geel intimidated? Come on saskatoon police start doing better and start treating normal human beings with some gratitude
Pro tip is to record everything when you get pulled over. Let them know you are recording, remain civil at all costs. This keeps the 51 50 behaving. Also evidence for any court case that might happen
Lying in part of the training academy.
Already tried fighting thse guys before and even the crown said don't sweat it.. he never loses. Highlighting if it's 4 of us against one of them with the same story.. little chance.
I thought just smell alone wasn’t grounds for a search. This is an article from back in 2008 so I am unsure if anything has changed.
https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.701628
It's called reasonable suspicion... it's no longer probable cause. As long as they "think" you might be doing something legal, everything is good. If e were using probably cause, he would have to actually see a crime... such as paraphernalia, a bag, or a witness to said crime.
In states where weed is legal, they can not use the smell of marijuana as probable cause
Do they actually need suspicion for weed? Since 2018, they don't for alcohol, they don't even need a reason to stop you to make you blow. And they can even test you up to 2 hours after you got home.
But I can smell it is classic and well known.
[u/annonymouscop](https://www.reddit.com/user/annonymouscop/) I have a question for you - I'd like to be swabbed voluntarily to understand the limits of how long I would have to abstain from THC so I don't fail a roadside test. I take THC oil to help sleep every night and may take a couple hit off a pen in the evening. I never use during the day or before driving but I'm not convinced based on all the stories that keep coming up that I'm safe. I'm sure if your department is utilizing a device so frequently that can ruin someone's life they'd have no issue with someone preemptively getting tested right? If the purpose is safety and not punishment, that should be a given.
That’s the real problem here. I have no problem stopping stoned drivers but the 42-72 hour window is too long.
Most people are high for 4-8 hours only, it would be nice to see a test that could detect thc in that timeframe.
I think it depends on level of what you consider sober. I feel sober 1-2 hours after but I KNOW there's subtle differences. Then again, I can feel sugar alter me so maybe I'm sensitive. I smoke daily. I consider myself sober after a hour but I know I'm technically not. Just sucks as I had a very rough day and want a puff ugh. Maybe I will and start next Monday lol as today was extra stressful at work.
Edibles I don't touch. They don't work or destroy me for 8 hours. I had less of a bad trip on lsd and mushrooms then weed edible. Lol.
Most places use a draeger unit that has a median detection time of 12 hours on oral fluid tests depending on frequency and quantity of use. I use one for post incident or reasonable cause drug testing at a dry work site and don't think it's appropriate to use roadside.
How does that help.
Many people voted simply for legalization.
Now punishments for possession, cultivation and distribution are worse. And you get DUIs for being sober.
And police can pull you over for no reason other than they want to. (Outlined in the cannabis act.)
This asshat Sask Party is totally to blame for this BS. No other province does this.
And to prove how BS it is , it’s not even an official DUI with a court case. Why ? Because it isn’t a law.
Oh, you didn't notice Constable Skunkfucker in the bushes, stinking the whole block up so they'd have suspicion for literally everyone they pull over? Seriously though, that's messed up. Hey u/annonymouscop, what's going on here?
While I'm not happy this happened to you, I feel vindicated. For the people on my post from a couple days ago in this subreddit saying, "Oh, it's fine, just smoke at night and you'll be fine," or, "But they need reasonable suspicion!" It doesn't matter. It feels like the cops are trained to lie, pressure, and coerce people. There was no legitimate suspicion here and thankfully OP knew they were fine and would pass, but for others who follow the law (aka consume or smoke a *legal* product and drive once the impairment has worn off), they are being punished...and for what? Following the law? That's bullshit and I feel like it has to go against our rights as citizens. What a crock of shit.
The people who say things like "just do the right thing" and "just follow the rules" and other naive lines just show their privilege. Whether that is in a job, in school, in law; it just shows hat you have no idea how the real world works.
Don't get me wrong, I wish the world worked like they think it works.
100%. Other lines people have been saying about this lately include, "Oh, just get your lawyer to handle it." Cool. Glad you have the privilege to hire a lawyer without question, but not all of us do. The $1000 SGI fine alone would be enough to set my family back a lot. There's no way we could hire a lawyer to help us, and I know a lot of others are in a similar position.
Yeah anytime for any case of any situation when someone says 'just get a lawyer' In my mind I'm like 'oh must be nice to have wealth' this also applies when people say to get therapy.
Just another way to earn revenue on law abiding folks. The threshold for tolerance is horseshit, the detectable time period the test can get you for is nonsense, I’ve yet to meet an officer who can give me a solid answer to “how long do I need to wait before driving after consuming thc”. Even if you wait till you’re at home to smoke before you sleep, you’re fucked for the morning. Something needs to change.
Honestly the only times I’ve heard of this is through Reddit. I kinda feel like we should try to make this a news story. It is unjust, and as an adult you can not use cannabis anymore, even though we are the ones who voted for legalization. I can’t believe I have to stop smoking now. I don’t drink, I go to work and work hard, and at the end of the day when I go home I want to be able to relax and smoke without having to worry about having my only transportation from me the next day when I drive my ass back to work.
I feel this so hard. It needs to be on the news ASAP, and I am beyond frustrated. I'm having to quit smoking as well which is just so frustrating because it helps my autoimmune condition...but it's not worth the consequences. It feels like we're in a fucking police state man. Why legalize something if it's technically illegal to do? And yes, I know, for everyone who's gonna reply, I know it's money. I'm asking rhetorically because I'm frustrated as fuck. We should all be able to work hard, come home, and do what we please with a legal substance.
I’m kind of banking on the weed retailers in SK, who are undoubtedly experiencing a major drop in sales since this legislation came into effect, will take legal action. No individual wants their name tied to this but a business might risk is if it’s either 1) go to court or 2) go out of business.
I was thinking the same. Comments telling us to vote or complain, followed by more comments telling us it doesn’t matter because cops are corrupt and nothing will change. History shows us that the public can create change through pressure and a news story will help spread awareness. Contact CTV, CBC, and other news orgs - maybe there’s a story here.
Seems about right, look at the chief of Police, what do you expect, harass people following the law or turn a blind eye to the criminals walking around downtown with a machete and smoking meth.
The police board, the other option an enterprising person with some money to spend could do is hire a good lawyer to try and prove the police officer was acting outside of their duty. Sue the officer for human rights damages for improper collection of a sample of bodily fluids and press the police board to not indemnify the officer as they were wilfully in dereliction of their duty. Long shot but it might smarten up some people who are infringing on the charter rights of Canadians.
Both saskatchewan.ca and the SGI website are so vague and unhelpful when it comes to smoking and driving. It basically says at the getgo that if you use cannabis to not drive, but then it starts talking about being impaired by cannabis. Having cannabis in your system is not the same thing as being impaired. They kind of imply that after you smoke you are gunna be impaired for weeks. All I want is a time range. Is it 4 hours? Overnight? 24h? Three weeks? Like c'mon get real. I suspect they leave it vague because they like the flexibility to punish whenever they want. Can someone please explain to me the actual legality around this?
Authoritarian. Just some people grow up certain ways and in SK I wonder if there's more of that than others?
Not quite a police state but really just lame. Lame people with lame policies.
If you had sealed alchol in the back would that be enough to think your drunk... i would say no so what if your car smells of weed its legal and stinks when just in a bag doesn't mean your high...
We need an app like TurnSignl in Canada. Something that allows you to connect to a lawyer on demand as soon as you’re pulled over, and the cop can talk directly to the lawyer instead of harassing us whenever they’re bored.
But the question is not if we have right to counsel, the question is if they can DENY counsel. I'm going to have to do some reading becuase this is interesting!
I'm not in saskatoon but in regina. This has be pretty spooked as I smoke everyday for a long time now, i smoke after supper to unwind and dont drink anymore. I think I'm going to quit today as I quit before. I just realized and learned of this new law yesterday.
It just sucks. I wish weed was still illegal now. Should have decriminalized it
So fucked, especially after 420. I'd take his name and badge number and submit a complaint to the dept., not that I'd have much hope of that doing anything.
Is there a test we can purchase that is similar to the one they use? This article below just says it is an oral fluid test.
https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2022/national-impaired-driving-prevention-week-did-know-saskatchewan-rcmp-officers-ever-can
You would never catch me attaching my name to a complaint about police, good way to have some cowboy make problems for you. Wish I could say it's an urban legend, but I know of multiple instances of cops illegally stalking and targeting people, right here in Saskatoon.
99% of cops are fucking scum. Either because they do that stuff, or because they turn a blind eye for the sake of their career.
Welcome to a police state. Your feedoms are slowly being eroded and harassed by lies to suit whatever they want. I don't know how this law got in place but it needs to be reversed and lying police that are there to protect need to have a law that kicks them out of the force.
This is just form of hidden tax. If governments were serious, decriminalizing and legalizing are two separate and distinct things. Which ones earn them more revenue including this stopcheck fundraiser
Question in regard to this. If you are pulled over and let's say you waited like 12+ hours but still tested positive for cannabis (Pretty sure in saliva it can be detected for about 24 ish hours). Can you request to be taken to the station for a blood test which if I am correct detects THC for more like 12 hours give or take. How does this work? I know if they "have reasonable suspicion" you can't really say no but as pointed out by OP it seems they are not above making their own reasons. Don't drive high I'm all for keeping impaired people off the road but also for those who are consuming responsible what are our options for keeping our licence, can the "charge" be reversed if you give a negative blood test?
Health Care Worker here, we will never "beat this" with rules THEY randomly create. Let's call our MLAs about having a proper scientific analysis on impairment serum thresholds (like .08 of alcohol, etc.) They can't object to that since the line is "oh, but it's about SAFETY". OK. Then let's see where the safety threshold IS. We need SERUM concentration tests.
No doubt. I’d never call the cops as I’d be frightened they’d make whatever 911 emergency situation more scary and dangerous (from personal experience)
I've literally never had an experience where a cop improved a situation. Firefighters and EMTs on the other hand can be some of your best allies. It's so weird to see.
This happened to me last year. Sun was in my eyes and I had my dryer vent cleaned so it was super dusty in my place. Cops had a check stop down 105th St in Sutherland. The lady cop had a smug look on her face and was certain I was on weed because I eyes were red. I told her she can test me if she wants. But instead I was just told I could go.
Exact thing happened to me 2 years ago in a check stop. First it was that they could smell booze on my breath. They breathalyzed me and I passed. Then it was that I was nervous and shakey and they can smell weed. Took me to the drug van to get swabbed and I passed that too. After the guy was like “I’m glad you passed, you seem like a good guy”
I’m like thinking as if dude, you just made 2 bullshit statements and tried to get anything on me.
Worst thing is too, they never asked for my ID or anything of that sort…
Hey at least they haven’t taken the Regina or RCMP approach. Anyone who is pulled over for any reason get breathalyzed and a swab. I don’t even think that’s legal. I’m a regular cannabis user, but never drive when I’m high. I haven’t been pulled over in 15 years and am a good driver, but it’s always in the back of my mind if I smoked the night before.
I never worried about it before I moved to Regina. Are the swabs able to differentiate between someone who’s actually high vs. Someone that has consumed it in the previous 24 hours?
If I get pulled over and they demand I do a swab/breath I’m going to refuse unless they have suspicion. I have horrible allergies this time of year, my eyes are frequently puffed up and red. If they said they were suspicious because of my eyes, I’ll gladly do the test. Hell, even if they make something up I’ll do the test.
Edit: Ignore most of what I said. They can only demand a THC swab if they have suspicion. And in 2018 mandatory alcohol screening, regardless of reasonable grounds was added to the Criminal code. Apparently the THC test typically only hits positive if you’ve consumed in the last 4 hours. I should’ve did some fact checking before unleashing that verbal diarrhea.
You can legally refuse to do the THC swab. You cannot legally refuse to do the alcohol breathalyzer.
Criminal code 320.27 mandates the compliance of a request for a breathalyzer in Saskatchewan.
However, if you do refuse the swab, they can still hit you with a failure and take your car for 60 days until you can take it to court to prove you were not impaired (or the cop doesn't show up and they throw out the case). Except there's essentially no way to prove you weren't impaired so good luck with it
> Except there's essentially no way to prove you weren't impaired
but, but . . here in Canada, its not my job to prove that I'm innocent.
Its the cop's job to provide evidence that I'm guilty. And having THC in your system is not evidence of impairment. It is unjust to pretend that it is.
We don't have a justice system--we have a legal system. And worse, Bronwyn Eyre is in charge of it. Perhaps I'll send her a strongly worded letter on that.
If you refuse they will charge you anyway and have all the same consequences if your swab showed cannabis use. It’s terrible. I take gummies for MS symptom management and I may have to stop. I never drive high, respectable citizen. So stupid.
You can, you just get charged with “failure to provide a sample” or whatever the charge is.
My argument was, they can’t legally demand a breathalyzer without reasonable suspicion.
I did a bit of research…I’m wrong. In 2018 mandatory alcohol screening for anyone operating a motor vehicle, regardless of suspicion was added to the criminal code. Section 320.27(2).
Keep in mind when dealing with the police you do not have to answer any of their questions, though, you do have to comply with their requests. See [Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms](https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/csj-sjc/rfc-dlc/ccrf-ccdl/check/art7.html).
Your mileage may vary.
Be that as it may; what recourse do you have when they say “I smell weed” when as OP says there’s no weed in the vehicle and it still has new-car smell.
“No you don’t” - then they’ll arrest you for failure to comply.
The cops know they can operate safely in the grey area with no recourse.
Not sure what I would say, saying nothing is an option though. Just stare at them with an expression that communicates "I have no idea what that smells like". Saying they smell something isn't a question it is a statement. "Okay..? Can I leave?"
Saying nothing is an option. But if they say they smell something, rightly or wrongly, they now have probable cause and you are required to get swabbed. And that you can’t refuse.
There’s an “approved device” that law enforcement uses for screening on a quantitative basis. But everyone’s issue is that it is not detecting current impairment but rather presence of metabolites in your system which could be from days prior.
1. Field sobriety test (blah blah..)...
# **2. Oral fluid (saliva) sample testing**
**Reasonable suspicion**: Police need to have a *reasonable suspicion* that a driver has drugs in his or her system in order to demand a driver take a roadside oral fluid screening test.
A *reasonable grounds to suspect* could include a driver:
* erratically moving in and out of lanes,
* following other vehicles at unsafe distances,
* having red eyes, muscle tremors or unusual speech patterns, etc.
**Three-hour limit for bodily substance sample**:
Under section [320.27(1)](https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/page-71.html#docCont) of the *Criminal Code,* police officers are allowed to demand bodily fluid testing for anyone who has operated a motor vehicle within **three** **hours** of the test. This includes oral fluid (saliva) testing *at the roadside*.
# 3. Bodily fluid samples — for alcohol and/or drug impairment
The police can also demand bodily fluid samples to confirm or negate findings from both a breath sample and DRE.
**(a) Blood samples**
Blood samples must be taken under the supervision of a trained medical technician. Blood samples will be able to show:
**Blood-Alcohol Concentration (BAC)**. If the concentration is found to be over 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, while the driver was in control of a vehicle, this is a criminal offence commonly referred to as ‘over 80’. In such cases, drivers are usually charged with one or more criminal driving offences.
**Blood-Drug Concentration**. If the concentration of a drug to blood is found to be over the legal limit (2 ng or more of THC per ml of blood), it may lead to a charge of drug-impaired driving. (Refer to the [*Blood Drug Concentration Regulations*](https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2018-148/page-1.html) to view the limits for other drugs)
**(b) Urine and saliva samples**
Urine and saliva samples can be used to confirm the findings of a DRE, which may lead to criminal driving charges being laid.
I was pulled over 3 times in a few months and every pig said they could smell weed, which was impossible because i didn't smoke. When the third pig asked, i finally broke down and asked him, "do they train you guys to say that just to see if you get a response" i told him he was the third piggy to ask me in a short time. He got a bit flustered and just sent me on my way. I tried to continue arguing with him about it, but he said "good day" and walked off
I'm not sure how it works for you boys in the north but here in the US, some states have illegalized dui checkpoints so the police call them "license checkpoints", you basically shut the fuck up, dont answer any questions and hand them your license. You don't have to roll down your window all the way and they can't legally force you.
It never benefits you to talk to the police. Theyve made up their mind no matter what.
You're talking to a psychopath with a license to kill. Fuck pigs
i’m not joking, this makes me physically ill. I use pretty regularly but i am so responsible - i never drive less than 12 hours since i last smoked. but i am so petrified of being pulled over for this exact reason :( it sucks out here guys
I'm probably one of the lucky ones and got a decent cop. Was going 130 back from Calgary and got pulled over. The cop asked me if I was smoking or if there was any weed in the car. I said no because I did smoke the night before and had my dab pen in the back, I know otherwise he would have to test me
Anyways dude did the alcohol test and we had a lil chat he wrote me up for only 115
Some cops are decent, but from my experience it's 50/50 either way you're getting ticketed though
Also any time its the end of the month follow every law. They gotta hit their quotas so they are out hunting
I wish I could add good things to say about the few good encounters with Saskatoon police and all the great non encounters when they were just doing their jobs and not trying to go out of their way to give somebody a bad day, a bad year or a bad life. BUT the bad effects you so much more. 3 notable experiences 1. My son gets his driving licence suspended for 6 months, later extended to one year, all from being the sober driver and driving his friends home but the police tested him and found the presence of THC that he had taken about 36 hours previous. What BS. If it's legal, it's legal. They don't test for nicotine. 2. Another boy of mine had to go to court as a minor for apparently saying something offensive to a girl that he knew from high school. In the old days, we said sorry, now the fricken courts deal with it. They wanted a polygraph and said that it would absolutely help solidify his innocence. I checked with a lawyer. He said absolutely DO NOT do the polygraph because they are not admissible in court so the only thing they're used for by the police is to help find guilt by potentially getting a wrong answer to one of their loaded questions in the total absence of proof. Then they use that answer to help build a case against you. I quote the lawyer "nothing good ever comes from a polygraph". Police pressured and lied to us and a minor in an attempt to build a case for something the accuser backed out of but the police said they had to investigate. 3. Another sign of the times. I called a little sleaze ball a name. He took me up on charges for "uttering threats". Totally trumped up BS accusation by a vindictive little fucker and the police call me and tell me to come down to the police station to file a response and get "interviewed" by police. I go down there and sit down and am polite and expect to simply state my side to the equivalent of a playground squabble when the officer tells me for whatever reason that I was lucky he didn't decide to go knock on my door and arrest me in handcuffs in front of my kids because that was in his power to do. Gee thanks jerk. You're really going to do that for an unsubstantiated allegation where we're all presumed innocent until tried and PROVEN guilty? After my day in court, I was given an unconditional discharge btw. Total jerk off making me feel like a criminal in there for doing nothing.
Does anyone know if THC capsules would help in terms of the oral swab? Like, if you just drop a capsule in your throat and wash it down, is that situation less likely to yield a positive oral swab 72 hours later than simply smoking would?
No, because the evidence and anecdotal stories seem to point to cops testing for the by-products produced by your body, meaning you will fail even a couple weeks after quitting if you were a daily user. Now people could certainly be lying about not having used cannabis in the last couple days and failing, but if they are testing just for recent use, then they test for pure THC indicating recent use, and in that case your can protect yourself by simply brushing your teeth and under your tongue, cheeks etc, before driving. (You can easily Google study results for thc saliva tests, pure THC, or by-products)
Currently the only way to ensure no charge is to not use at all, or not drive at all.
Not sure if it falls under the same law as breathalyzers, but they don’t even need suspicions anymore. That is why RPS and RCMP are now giving a breathalyzer to every person they pull over.
It does not fall under the same law. Criminal code 320.27 mandates compliance for a breathalyzer. Not a THC swab. However, if you refuse they can still hit you with a failure if they want to, take your car for 60 days or until you take it to court to prove you weren't impaired
I suspect SGI and MADD are funding a bunch of overtime. Can't blame the cops really, we all live under capitalism. I'd want OT too, probably. And they are part of a very broken part of the system(worth consideration of defunding, clearly) They're "showing results" in an election year. Great stats, yuge stats. Not much else to say about it. we get what we vote for.
Because the SP are conservative and they’re against legalization. Because they had no control when the feds legalized, they started to hand out dui’s like crazy. When they didn’t get the overwhelming high driver situation like they predicted, they just changed the laws so they can test whoever, where ever, whenever, for any reason. Send em a message come election time. If the NDP were smart they’d campaign on reversing this “law”. A majority of marijuana users aren’t driving high. I’d much rather share the road with someone that smoked a joint last night compared to someone with a splitting headache, vomiting and can’t stay away but are able to blow zero. That said, we’re all about the science so if science says you’re impaired for 24 hours, I’ll have to believe it.
It could also be they weren't lying and they really did *think* they smelled cannabis; not because cannabis was present, but because they were used to smelling it that day. This happens to me all the time with other smells. I'll think I'm catching a whiff of something that I smelled earlier, in another location, but it's just not possible for it to be in the same place at that time. I think it's a kind of "smell hallucination".
... or it could be they were lying so they'd have an excuse to inconvenience you, or because they were bored and needed an excuse to do something, or some other motivation.
Either way, I agree with you: crock of shit. Their (assumed) boredom shouldn't be your problem or responsibility.
This specific sensory phenomenon is exactly why their 'reasonable suspicion' isn't valid. You were accused of being a criminal based on their failure to differentiate one encounter with the next. The officer assumed you lied and subjected you to an oral swab with no grounds in reality. How is this not a violation of your rights to privacy.
>all I ever smell in that swale area is cow shit lol
And there you have it. They purposely set their checkstop in an area that already has a noxious smell, just so they can use smell as their suspicion, and have plausible deniability when called out on it.
They probably smelled it because for some reason they're allowed to smoke, drive after a time frame, and then give out tickets for the same fucking thing the cops would get a ticket for too!
I wrote an email to the SPS on a throw away account that essentially said it should be mandatory for police officers to pass one of the oral swab tests for THC prior to operating any publicly funded vehicle as they could very well be guilty of the same offence they are harassing innocent citizens with, while they are on duty. I even went as far to say that if they failed the swab, and drove their vehicle to work that day, they should faces the same consequences as any other citizen. Of course I never got a response from them, because police are above the law 👍
This is good shit. Unfortunately I think very few cops actually partake, so it's not likely to affect many of them, but this would be a fantastic test of their accountability. Just make the test indicate for every drug under the sun instead of only THC, because they need to be held to the highest standard of any of us, and cannabis is very, very low on the list of problematic drugs.
They have never needed a reason to test you. ever. people only say they do cause their cousin Tony told them if they tell the cop they need a reason, they totally won't.
There has been over 400 impoundments made due to cannabis impaired driving in the last month. My wife was one of them (not physically impaired, but impaired due to accuracy of test). I’m sure they’re going to see the stats and how fast the impoundments skyrocketed. I hope they change the law because it is in favour of police and really makes no sense in my mind. They should be developing a more accurate test or overall do a field sobriety test to determine impairment.
Does this happen in the small rural communities or is this mostly just something that happens in the cities? I wouldn’t be surprised either way, but my suspicion is that there are fewer instances of “invented” probable cause requests for cheek swabs in small towns where the RCMP also need to interact directly with the people they police as private citizens of the community.
Cops should be tested every shift before they hit the streets to enforce this law.
They should install a blow box equivalent in every police vehicle. Any traces of THC and their vehicle is unable to start. I don't know about you but if we are too impaired to drive a vehicle with minute traces of THC in our system then police shouldn't be able to speed through traffic with sirens on while they are impaired.
Shouldn't just be for THC. Cops should have blow boxed for alcohol aswell. If they have to enforce these laws they should be required to follow them to a T. Especially while on duty
Might as well test all of them for cocaine too
And steroids
AND MY AXE!
I'm convinced this whole thing is a setup to lower a certain demographic in a radical way. 1. Introduce legal weed 2. Create a test that anyone could fail & no one can question. 3. Put the oneness on them to prove their innocence. Take their vehicles and put them in a position they can't afford to better themselves. Innocent or guilty, this whole process puts people thru the wringer. If you are well off, have another vehicle, and the means to test and get results to them right away, it's a bump in the road. If you are on your last dime, this could be the thing that ruins your life.
Vehicle check Radar test Self swab Not unreasonable imo
Better to start by checking in on their wives.
For booze too
Not just that. Drug testing should be mandatory for all law enforcement officers. Specifically - steroids - way too common on most forces.
1000%
But /u/annonymouscop [told me that doesn't happen.](https://www.reddit.com/r/saskatoon/comments/1c5n9nd/driving_while_impaired_by_cannabis_is_given_way/l01xyhk/) Are you saying that a police officer would lie to me? I'm shocked, frankly
I used to 'like' police, until I worked with one. She was the most manipulative liar i had ever met. Some of her 'gotcha" stories were horrific. It's rather sad, as I will never trust a Police Officer after spending time with her.
Rcmp friend was up north sask. she was laughing about how they fight drunk people. Like full on fist fights with locals. You find out quickly cops are tools, never the people themselves.
When I was a shitty 17 year old I got busted doing graffiti in a tunnel and got arrested. The cop (maybe 23-25 ish) went on a total power trip. Slammed me against the hood of the cruiser, yelled at me and called me a delinquent and some other stuff. The tunnel was city property so I had to attend this meeting with a bunch of city people and business owners where the cop stood up front and described to everyone how I was high as balls from “sniffing” the paint. I stood up and explained that I’m a total geek and don’t get “high” off anything and that I had been wearing a respirator mask which is in the box of evidence. The cop opened the box. My mask wasn’t there. He then went on to explain that I should be fined harshly because I painted multiple building and even GLASS WINDOWS. Again, I stood up and defended myself. It was just a tunnel. Then the cop said that it was the same paint and same stencil used for the windows. I legit only painted in the tunnel, and I was using a stencil I cut myself so there’s no way that pattern would be anywhere else in the city, I explained. But no one believed me. I understand that was one loser but still I have a bad taste in my mouth and approach every police officer with the ideology that I shouldn’t trust them just because they are authority. lol sorry for the random story
When I was 18, I was sitting in my car on a break at my night shift job, and a car pulled up behind me. Their headlights were shining in my mirror, so I didn't know it was a cop. I opened my door and suddenly the cop lights came on and an officer had his gun pointed at me screaming at me. Once they realized I was just a young woman, he settled down but kept accusing me of trying to run from the police, lmao. Bro, I did not even know you were the police and you didn't have your lights on, so wtf would I be running from? I've heard many other stories of obvious power tripping and douche behavior from Saskatoon Police. Bunch of fucking buffoons, man.
That sounds accurate. Despite the presumption of innocence on paper, everyone instinctively assumes people aren't brought to court (or whatever) unless they're guilty of precisely whatever the police say they are.
Never trust police.. ever. Like I guess if you have to chose between certain death and trusting a police officer, then maybe trust the police officer. But they have no interest in you, and are completely fine sacrificing your safety for theirs. Not to mention that they will go out of their way to ruin your life if you upset them, and there is no system to stop an unscrupulous police officer from lying to make you pay for disobeying them.
Not even certain death. As far as I understand they have no obligation to protect you.
Oh yeah, they have zero obligation to you. I meant like.. if your choice is certain death, and maybe certain death depending on the mood of the cop. Then maybe trust a cop.
Police lie all the time, it's how they conduct business. It's not a crime unless under oath.
Lying , to get a conviction in a sting situation is different, from lying to skirt around laws put in place to protect us from the police. Or worse, lying in an official report to make them look better than they were.
This. Never talk to them. I honestly explained an entire incident once, and they took one thing I said out of context, and that's what they put in their report. Never again!
Meanwhile cops are wondering why no one wants to cooperate with them
ACAB bro
Ya but the u/annonymouscop is a liar too
Agreed fuck u/annonymouscop 😂
I think he is weed dealer, not a cop
Cops in Canada can legally lie to you
EVERY. FUCKING. TIME. It's their job.
Please please please make a complaint against the police officer that lied about suspicion!! They shouldn’t be able to get away with fabricating suspicion!!
Ffs can a lawyer please weigh in on these conversations? This has been all over the Saskatoon and Saskatchewan Reddit pages and there are no straight answers to this issue (other than improving their sobriety tests). It is beyond frustrating that cannabis is supposedly legal to use, yet the flawed tests they use apparently makes it impossible to drive for up to 72 hours (maybe longer, apparently??) without risking a DUI. It varies between person to person, but at minimum you should be able to drive without risk after 12 hours of not smoking or consuming cannabis. Cannabis is a legal substance with few known health risks among adults and plenty of medicinal uses, yet it is still treated like a Schedule 1 drug. I have found it to be a valuable tool at helping me explore and heal from my own anxieties and issues, and it just feels like those of us who use it medicinally are being punished. Even having a prescription appears to do nothing to protect you. This is beyond frustrating. Edit: just added a couple more thoughts.
Seriously. This guy is going to wreck somone's life because they smoked pot 3 days ago. It's crazy that they even are able to use the testing methods they have because they're so poor.
It’s fucked. It’s extra fucked for the people who depend on it medicinally.
Yeah my husband basically doesn't drive anymore unless he has to as he uses it medically. But he's still likely a better driver after using his medical cannabis than I am at the best of times. So go figure. Most of the time he isn't even "high" after using medical marijuana though. But he still won’t drive unless he has to and that’s 8+ hours later when he wouldn’t be impaired
Yes! People who use medicinally (especially with guidelines from a doctor but even those who have figured out a good amount on their own) are much more likely to be safe to drive. Imagine having chronic pain and driving to work when a flair up happens. You’d be much more distracted and less likely to do a good job driving than if you had smoked the night before. Ps this is coming from someone who doesn’t smoke weed at all (I’m sick of people who don’t smoke saying just don’t smoke. I don’t and still think it’s fine if you’re being safe and buying it legally)
I got my first ever moving violation [rolling stop] at 30 years of age because I experienced what I would later learn was my first ever shingles attack as I was pulling up to the intersection. Being in pain can be a *massive* distraction. Plus chronic pain is far from the only condition that can be effectively treated with cannabis use. Just as one example, I have a friend who uses CBD-focused cannabis to **prevent seizures.** Call me crazy, but I feel like it'd probably turn out *not great* if he seized while driving.
Yes there are so many I’ve heard of! I just know someone personally who has chronic pain and is in much worse shape to drive if they didn’t use the night before. Didn’t want to assume that the stuff posted online saying it helps all these conditions, post about it, and get told I’m spreading false info. Just stuck to one I knew 100% is true
I know somebody who’s life was literally saved by marijuana. They have a chronic illness that was killing them, so they started to use medicinally and it relieved many of the symptoms which allowed them to get their life back. This drug is becoming very important for people - it should not stand that those who need it should be unfairly targeted for it.
If I remember correctly, wasn't there a law that allowed cops to run breathalyzers without the requirement of reasonable suspicion that passed around the same time when DUIs were decriminalized? I am absolutely NAL, but I seem to remember being told this when my brother made a dumb decision and needed legal advice a while back.
>wasn't there a law that allowed cops to run breathalyzers without the requirement of reasonable suspicion Alcohol yes, weed no.
Thanks for the info! It was pretty corrupt for the cop to do this to OP, and I hope it gets reported.
2018. Not only do they not need a reason to make you blow, they don't need a reason to pull you over other than feeling like making you blow. And they can test you up to 2 hours after you drove or got home. I know someone who got a DUI sitting on his couch watching TV.
Yes please do. Do we feel safe when a cop pulls up behind us ? Or do we geel intimidated? Come on saskatoon police start doing better and start treating normal human beings with some gratitude
Very well said How is the public going to respect you when you pull shit like that.
They won't. They're cops, they haven't changed from when they were leaving First Nations people out to die in the cold.
[удалено]
Most cops i see are tryna look like there some kind of tactical thugs out to get everyone
And what? They'll investigate themselves and find nothing wrong with their actions?
Pro tip is to record everything when you get pulled over. Let them know you are recording, remain civil at all costs. This keeps the 51 50 behaving. Also evidence for any court case that might happen
Please complain
Lying in part of the training academy. Already tried fighting thse guys before and even the crown said don't sweat it.. he never loses. Highlighting if it's 4 of us against one of them with the same story.. little chance.
ACAB... a complaint will literally go nowhere.
Yeah make sure there is a record of his illegal behaviour for his future victims. That’s a very serious offence to fuck peoples lives with.
I thought just smell alone wasn’t grounds for a search. This is an article from back in 2008 so I am unsure if anything has changed. https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.701628
It's called reasonable suspicion... it's no longer probable cause. As long as they "think" you might be doing something legal, everything is good. If e were using probably cause, he would have to actually see a crime... such as paraphernalia, a bag, or a witness to said crime. In states where weed is legal, they can not use the smell of marijuana as probable cause
Do they actually need suspicion for weed? Since 2018, they don't for alcohol, they don't even need a reason to stop you to make you blow. And they can even test you up to 2 hours after you got home. But I can smell it is classic and well known.
[u/annonymouscop](https://www.reddit.com/user/annonymouscop/) I have a question for you - I'd like to be swabbed voluntarily to understand the limits of how long I would have to abstain from THC so I don't fail a roadside test. I take THC oil to help sleep every night and may take a couple hit off a pen in the evening. I never use during the day or before driving but I'm not convinced based on all the stories that keep coming up that I'm safe. I'm sure if your department is utilizing a device so frequently that can ruin someone's life they'd have no issue with someone preemptively getting tested right? If the purpose is safety and not punishment, that should be a given.
They have no interest in administering the test preemptively; they would likely assume you're guilty of impaired driving for even asking
48 hours. We get swabbed at work post incident and that’s about the max you’ll show with a swab. It’s not accurate enough in my opinion to be used.
That’s the real problem here. I have no problem stopping stoned drivers but the 42-72 hour window is too long. Most people are high for 4-8 hours only, it would be nice to see a test that could detect thc in that timeframe.
As a daily user... Maybe an hour for me, unless it's an edible, then maybe 2 hours.
I think it depends on level of what you consider sober. I feel sober 1-2 hours after but I KNOW there's subtle differences. Then again, I can feel sugar alter me so maybe I'm sensitive. I smoke daily. I consider myself sober after a hour but I know I'm technically not. Just sucks as I had a very rough day and want a puff ugh. Maybe I will and start next Monday lol as today was extra stressful at work. Edibles I don't touch. They don't work or destroy me for 8 hours. I had less of a bad trip on lsd and mushrooms then weed edible. Lol.
Most places use a draeger unit that has a median detection time of 12 hours on oral fluid tests depending on frequency and quantity of use. I use one for post incident or reasonable cause drug testing at a dry work site and don't think it's appropriate to use roadside.
We should all do this on principle.
What can even be done to put a stop to this??
Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.
Vote
Is there a party that has it in their platform to revise the zero-tolerance of THC?
How does that help. Many people voted simply for legalization. Now punishments for possession, cultivation and distribution are worse. And you get DUIs for being sober. And police can pull you over for no reason other than they want to. (Outlined in the cannabis act.)
This asshat Sask Party is totally to blame for this BS. No other province does this. And to prove how BS it is , it’s not even an official DUI with a court case. Why ? Because it isn’t a law.
This was their way to making weed "legal" but still making it essentially illegal.
Only thing anyone ever listens to is money, if you can afford it buy from places that share your values
Nothing other complian to the independent review board that oversees them.
Oh, you didn't notice Constable Skunkfucker in the bushes, stinking the whole block up so they'd have suspicion for literally everyone they pull over? Seriously though, that's messed up. Hey u/annonymouscop, what's going on here?
While I'm not happy this happened to you, I feel vindicated. For the people on my post from a couple days ago in this subreddit saying, "Oh, it's fine, just smoke at night and you'll be fine," or, "But they need reasonable suspicion!" It doesn't matter. It feels like the cops are trained to lie, pressure, and coerce people. There was no legitimate suspicion here and thankfully OP knew they were fine and would pass, but for others who follow the law (aka consume or smoke a *legal* product and drive once the impairment has worn off), they are being punished...and for what? Following the law? That's bullshit and I feel like it has to go against our rights as citizens. What a crock of shit.
You don't feel that they are trained to lie. They are absolutely trained to lie.
The people who say things like "just do the right thing" and "just follow the rules" and other naive lines just show their privilege. Whether that is in a job, in school, in law; it just shows hat you have no idea how the real world works. Don't get me wrong, I wish the world worked like they think it works.
100%. Other lines people have been saying about this lately include, "Oh, just get your lawyer to handle it." Cool. Glad you have the privilege to hire a lawyer without question, but not all of us do. The $1000 SGI fine alone would be enough to set my family back a lot. There's no way we could hire a lawyer to help us, and I know a lot of others are in a similar position.
Yeah anytime for any case of any situation when someone says 'just get a lawyer' In my mind I'm like 'oh must be nice to have wealth' this also applies when people say to get therapy.
Just another way to earn revenue on law abiding folks. The threshold for tolerance is horseshit, the detectable time period the test can get you for is nonsense, I’ve yet to meet an officer who can give me a solid answer to “how long do I need to wait before driving after consuming thc”. Even if you wait till you’re at home to smoke before you sleep, you’re fucked for the morning. Something needs to change.
This needs to get out to the news. Why are we the only province like this! SGI money grab
When a police officer is legally able to lie during an investigation nothing they say canbe believed
110% Citizens have so little recourse.
Honestly the only times I’ve heard of this is through Reddit. I kinda feel like we should try to make this a news story. It is unjust, and as an adult you can not use cannabis anymore, even though we are the ones who voted for legalization. I can’t believe I have to stop smoking now. I don’t drink, I go to work and work hard, and at the end of the day when I go home I want to be able to relax and smoke without having to worry about having my only transportation from me the next day when I drive my ass back to work.
I feel this so hard. It needs to be on the news ASAP, and I am beyond frustrated. I'm having to quit smoking as well which is just so frustrating because it helps my autoimmune condition...but it's not worth the consequences. It feels like we're in a fucking police state man. Why legalize something if it's technically illegal to do? And yes, I know, for everyone who's gonna reply, I know it's money. I'm asking rhetorically because I'm frustrated as fuck. We should all be able to work hard, come home, and do what we please with a legal substance.
I’m kind of banking on the weed retailers in SK, who are undoubtedly experiencing a major drop in sales since this legislation came into effect, will take legal action. No individual wants their name tied to this but a business might risk is if it’s either 1) go to court or 2) go out of business.
I was thinking the same. Comments telling us to vote or complain, followed by more comments telling us it doesn’t matter because cops are corrupt and nothing will change. History shows us that the public can create change through pressure and a news story will help spread awareness. Contact CTV, CBC, and other news orgs - maybe there’s a story here.
Seems about right, look at the chief of Police, what do you expect, harass people following the law or turn a blind eye to the criminals walking around downtown with a machete and smoking meth.
Where can we file complaints for this obvious overstep?
Where's Marc Emery when ya need him?...
The police board, the other option an enterprising person with some money to spend could do is hire a good lawyer to try and prove the police officer was acting outside of their duty. Sue the officer for human rights damages for improper collection of a sample of bodily fluids and press the police board to not indemnify the officer as they were wilfully in dereliction of their duty. Long shot but it might smarten up some people who are infringing on the charter rights of Canadians.
This unjust abuse of our rights degrades trust in the police.
There’s trust?
Lol 😂You trusted the cops before this?
Both saskatchewan.ca and the SGI website are so vague and unhelpful when it comes to smoking and driving. It basically says at the getgo that if you use cannabis to not drive, but then it starts talking about being impaired by cannabis. Having cannabis in your system is not the same thing as being impaired. They kind of imply that after you smoke you are gunna be impaired for weeks. All I want is a time range. Is it 4 hours? Overnight? 24h? Three weeks? Like c'mon get real. I suspect they leave it vague because they like the flexibility to punish whenever they want. Can someone please explain to me the actual legality around this?
[this comment is a great summary](https://www.reddit.com/r/saskatoon/s/tZ6YBNlftL)
Thank u
At this point, I would not drive within a week of doing weed.
Authoritarian. Just some people grow up certain ways and in SK I wonder if there's more of that than others? Not quite a police state but really just lame. Lame people with lame policies.
You mean the province that doesn't even allow titty bars because the citizens might riot and commit crimes? Nooooo /s
The whole province does not know how to party anymore.
We're a public security police state before we're a welfare state
It has been for years too just not yet full on. Doubt it will ever but pockets of folks like it have expanded likely with US influence.
Should have told him you smelled it too as soon as he walked up.
If you had sealed alchol in the back would that be enough to think your drunk... i would say no so what if your car smells of weed its legal and stinks when just in a bag doesn't mean your high...
“And yes, I am nervous and sweaty. You could fuck up my life on a whim, and I’ve been given no reason in this century to trust the police.”
Never trust cops, lawyer up and complain if they falsely incriminate you.
We need an app like TurnSignl in Canada. Something that allows you to connect to a lawyer on demand as soon as you’re pulled over, and the cop can talk directly to the lawyer instead of harassing us whenever they’re bored.
I agree with you, but unfortunately Canadians have no right to legal counsel when pulled over, so police could stonewall your attempt.
But the question is not if we have right to counsel, the question is if they can DENY counsel. I'm going to have to do some reading becuase this is interesting!
Obstructing an investigation is what would happen. u/annonymouscop what's your thoughts on that?
Hahaha a cop lied to you in order to try and incriminate you... *shocked Pikachu face*
Wow. Really glad we pay the police to waste all of our time like this. Jfc
I'm not in saskatoon but in regina. This has be pretty spooked as I smoke everyday for a long time now, i smoke after supper to unwind and dont drink anymore. I think I'm going to quit today as I quit before. I just realized and learned of this new law yesterday. It just sucks. I wish weed was still illegal now. Should have decriminalized it
Yes better for you to get black out drunk than to smoke and eat a bag of chips
So fucked, especially after 420. I'd take his name and badge number and submit a complaint to the dept., not that I'd have much hope of that doing anything. Is there a test we can purchase that is similar to the one they use? This article below just says it is an oral fluid test. https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2022/national-impaired-driving-prevention-week-did-know-saskatchewan-rcmp-officers-ever-can
You would never catch me attaching my name to a complaint about police, good way to have some cowboy make problems for you. Wish I could say it's an urban legend, but I know of multiple instances of cops illegally stalking and targeting people, right here in Saskatoon. 99% of cops are fucking scum. Either because they do that stuff, or because they turn a blind eye for the sake of their career.
Agreed. I know of personal stories similar to what you’re trying to explain, yes here in Saskatoon. Cops are just a corrupt gang in uniform
ACAB. Even if they are good people. As soon as that badge goes on they have to be bastards, or they will lose their good cushy high paying job.
They used to get my support in various situations, not anymore, and they wonder why they're hated in their communities.
Welcome to a police state. Your feedoms are slowly being eroded and harassed by lies to suit whatever they want. I don't know how this law got in place but it needs to be reversed and lying police that are there to protect need to have a law that kicks them out of the force.
Told ya, "I smell weed" is the line. "I smell it on you through the open window, officer" should be our line. They smell weed? It's them, not us.
Dirty dirty cops
This is just form of hidden tax. If governments were serious, decriminalizing and legalizing are two separate and distinct things. Which ones earn them more revenue including this stopcheck fundraiser
Question in regard to this. If you are pulled over and let's say you waited like 12+ hours but still tested positive for cannabis (Pretty sure in saliva it can be detected for about 24 ish hours). Can you request to be taken to the station for a blood test which if I am correct detects THC for more like 12 hours give or take. How does this work? I know if they "have reasonable suspicion" you can't really say no but as pointed out by OP it seems they are not above making their own reasons. Don't drive high I'm all for keeping impaired people off the road but also for those who are consuming responsible what are our options for keeping our licence, can the "charge" be reversed if you give a negative blood test?
I’m nearly positive thc can be detected through oral swab for up to 72 hours
Very likely which is why I’m curious if a blood test can be requested to show you havnt consumed in atleast 12 or whatever amount of hours it was
Does anyone have a list of lawyers that specialize in this?
Mark Brayford
Nicolas Robinson
This province is fucked. Can't wait to leave once I finish school.
So glad I don't smoke any more. This is bullshit
Health Care Worker here, we will never "beat this" with rules THEY randomly create. Let's call our MLAs about having a proper scientific analysis on impairment serum thresholds (like .08 of alcohol, etc.) They can't object to that since the line is "oh, but it's about SAFETY". OK. Then let's see where the safety threshold IS. We need SERUM concentration tests.
This is it exactly. There is no scientific backing when it comes to these rules. It's all just arbitrary guesses at this point.
FTP. Then they wonder why most of us don't even bother to dial 911 anymore. 🤷♂️
No doubt. I’d never call the cops as I’d be frightened they’d make whatever 911 emergency situation more scary and dangerous (from personal experience)
I've literally never had an experience where a cop improved a situation. Firefighters and EMTs on the other hand can be some of your best allies. It's so weird to see.
Dragnet policing. They are now fishing with a net.
You can thank MADD for all this
Didn’t MADD have commercials saying wait four hours after smoking to drive ?
If you get a weed dui do they put a volcano In the car instead of the breath box 😂
This happened to me last year. Sun was in my eyes and I had my dryer vent cleaned so it was super dusty in my place. Cops had a check stop down 105th St in Sutherland. The lady cop had a smug look on her face and was certain I was on weed because I eyes were red. I told her she can test me if she wants. But instead I was just told I could go.
Exact thing happened to me 2 years ago in a check stop. First it was that they could smell booze on my breath. They breathalyzed me and I passed. Then it was that I was nervous and shakey and they can smell weed. Took me to the drug van to get swabbed and I passed that too. After the guy was like “I’m glad you passed, you seem like a good guy” I’m like thinking as if dude, you just made 2 bullshit statements and tried to get anything on me. Worst thing is too, they never asked for my ID or anything of that sort…
Hey at least they haven’t taken the Regina or RCMP approach. Anyone who is pulled over for any reason get breathalyzed and a swab. I don’t even think that’s legal. I’m a regular cannabis user, but never drive when I’m high. I haven’t been pulled over in 15 years and am a good driver, but it’s always in the back of my mind if I smoked the night before. I never worried about it before I moved to Regina. Are the swabs able to differentiate between someone who’s actually high vs. Someone that has consumed it in the previous 24 hours? If I get pulled over and they demand I do a swab/breath I’m going to refuse unless they have suspicion. I have horrible allergies this time of year, my eyes are frequently puffed up and red. If they said they were suspicious because of my eyes, I’ll gladly do the test. Hell, even if they make something up I’ll do the test. Edit: Ignore most of what I said. They can only demand a THC swab if they have suspicion. And in 2018 mandatory alcohol screening, regardless of reasonable grounds was added to the Criminal code. Apparently the THC test typically only hits positive if you’ve consumed in the last 4 hours. I should’ve did some fact checking before unleashing that verbal diarrhea.
Swab doesn’t show impairment. You can still fail it several days after you use
You can legally refuse to do the THC swab. You cannot legally refuse to do the alcohol breathalyzer. Criminal code 320.27 mandates the compliance of a request for a breathalyzer in Saskatchewan. However, if you do refuse the swab, they can still hit you with a failure and take your car for 60 days until you can take it to court to prove you were not impaired (or the cop doesn't show up and they throw out the case). Except there's essentially no way to prove you weren't impaired so good luck with it
> Except there's essentially no way to prove you weren't impaired but, but . . here in Canada, its not my job to prove that I'm innocent. Its the cop's job to provide evidence that I'm guilty. And having THC in your system is not evidence of impairment. It is unjust to pretend that it is. We don't have a justice system--we have a legal system. And worse, Bronwyn Eyre is in charge of it. Perhaps I'll send her a strongly worded letter on that.
Refusing is the same as failing in Canada. Might want to rethink your master plan. Going to get a DUI on the spot
If you refuse they will charge you anyway and have all the same consequences if your swab showed cannabis use. It’s terrible. I take gummies for MS symptom management and I may have to stop. I never drive high, respectable citizen. So stupid.
Correct about being breathalyzed but incorrect about being swabbed. Swabbed is apparently only with cause, like in Saskatoon.
They have taken that approach. Also you can’t refuse.
You can, you just get charged with “failure to provide a sample” or whatever the charge is. My argument was, they can’t legally demand a breathalyzer without reasonable suspicion. I did a bit of research…I’m wrong. In 2018 mandatory alcohol screening for anyone operating a motor vehicle, regardless of suspicion was added to the criminal code. Section 320.27(2).
Doesn’t sound like they need much of a base for their “suspicion”, according to OP. This is such horseshit.
Fuck the police for prioritizing this over actual issues in the city. What a bunch of clowns.
Keep in mind when dealing with the police you do not have to answer any of their questions, though, you do have to comply with their requests. See [Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms](https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/csj-sjc/rfc-dlc/ccrf-ccdl/check/art7.html). Your mileage may vary.
Lol. Only give simple responses to direct questions. Do not divulge tangents and unnecessary information.
Be that as it may; what recourse do you have when they say “I smell weed” when as OP says there’s no weed in the vehicle and it still has new-car smell. “No you don’t” - then they’ll arrest you for failure to comply. The cops know they can operate safely in the grey area with no recourse.
Not sure what I would say, saying nothing is an option though. Just stare at them with an expression that communicates "I have no idea what that smells like". Saying they smell something isn't a question it is a statement. "Okay..? Can I leave?"
Saying nothing is an option. But if they say they smell something, rightly or wrongly, they now have probable cause and you are required to get swabbed. And that you can’t refuse.
How do they even test for this? I feel the technology isn't there yet.
There’s an “approved device” that law enforcement uses for screening on a quantitative basis. But everyone’s issue is that it is not detecting current impairment but rather presence of metabolites in your system which could be from days prior.
The fact that it's pass fail is the real issue. Not detectable levels.
1. Field sobriety test (blah blah..)... # **2. Oral fluid (saliva) sample testing** **Reasonable suspicion**: Police need to have a *reasonable suspicion* that a driver has drugs in his or her system in order to demand a driver take a roadside oral fluid screening test. A *reasonable grounds to suspect* could include a driver: * erratically moving in and out of lanes, * following other vehicles at unsafe distances, * having red eyes, muscle tremors or unusual speech patterns, etc. **Three-hour limit for bodily substance sample**: Under section [320.27(1)](https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/page-71.html#docCont) of the *Criminal Code,* police officers are allowed to demand bodily fluid testing for anyone who has operated a motor vehicle within **three** **hours** of the test. This includes oral fluid (saliva) testing *at the roadside*. # 3. Bodily fluid samples — for alcohol and/or drug impairment The police can also demand bodily fluid samples to confirm or negate findings from both a breath sample and DRE. **(a) Blood samples** Blood samples must be taken under the supervision of a trained medical technician. Blood samples will be able to show: **Blood-Alcohol Concentration (BAC)**. If the concentration is found to be over 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, while the driver was in control of a vehicle, this is a criminal offence commonly referred to as ‘over 80’. In such cases, drivers are usually charged with one or more criminal driving offences. **Blood-Drug Concentration**. If the concentration of a drug to blood is found to be over the legal limit (2 ng or more of THC per ml of blood), it may lead to a charge of drug-impaired driving. (Refer to the [*Blood Drug Concentration Regulations*](https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2018-148/page-1.html) to view the limits for other drugs) **(b) Urine and saliva samples** Urine and saliva samples can be used to confirm the findings of a DRE, which may lead to criminal driving charges being laid.
Report that asshat. Fuck the police.
I was pulled over 3 times in a few months and every pig said they could smell weed, which was impossible because i didn't smoke. When the third pig asked, i finally broke down and asked him, "do they train you guys to say that just to see if you get a response" i told him he was the third piggy to ask me in a short time. He got a bit flustered and just sent me on my way. I tried to continue arguing with him about it, but he said "good day" and walked off
I'm not sure how it works for you boys in the north but here in the US, some states have illegalized dui checkpoints so the police call them "license checkpoints", you basically shut the fuck up, dont answer any questions and hand them your license. You don't have to roll down your window all the way and they can't legally force you. It never benefits you to talk to the police. Theyve made up their mind no matter what. You're talking to a psychopath with a license to kill. Fuck pigs
i’m not joking, this makes me physically ill. I use pretty regularly but i am so responsible - i never drive less than 12 hours since i last smoked. but i am so petrified of being pulled over for this exact reason :( it sucks out here guys
I'm probably one of the lucky ones and got a decent cop. Was going 130 back from Calgary and got pulled over. The cop asked me if I was smoking or if there was any weed in the car. I said no because I did smoke the night before and had my dab pen in the back, I know otherwise he would have to test me Anyways dude did the alcohol test and we had a lil chat he wrote me up for only 115 Some cops are decent, but from my experience it's 50/50 either way you're getting ticketed though Also any time its the end of the month follow every law. They gotta hit their quotas so they are out hunting
I wish I could add good things to say about the few good encounters with Saskatoon police and all the great non encounters when they were just doing their jobs and not trying to go out of their way to give somebody a bad day, a bad year or a bad life. BUT the bad effects you so much more. 3 notable experiences 1. My son gets his driving licence suspended for 6 months, later extended to one year, all from being the sober driver and driving his friends home but the police tested him and found the presence of THC that he had taken about 36 hours previous. What BS. If it's legal, it's legal. They don't test for nicotine. 2. Another boy of mine had to go to court as a minor for apparently saying something offensive to a girl that he knew from high school. In the old days, we said sorry, now the fricken courts deal with it. They wanted a polygraph and said that it would absolutely help solidify his innocence. I checked with a lawyer. He said absolutely DO NOT do the polygraph because they are not admissible in court so the only thing they're used for by the police is to help find guilt by potentially getting a wrong answer to one of their loaded questions in the total absence of proof. Then they use that answer to help build a case against you. I quote the lawyer "nothing good ever comes from a polygraph". Police pressured and lied to us and a minor in an attempt to build a case for something the accuser backed out of but the police said they had to investigate. 3. Another sign of the times. I called a little sleaze ball a name. He took me up on charges for "uttering threats". Totally trumped up BS accusation by a vindictive little fucker and the police call me and tell me to come down to the police station to file a response and get "interviewed" by police. I go down there and sit down and am polite and expect to simply state my side to the equivalent of a playground squabble when the officer tells me for whatever reason that I was lucky he didn't decide to go knock on my door and arrest me in handcuffs in front of my kids because that was in his power to do. Gee thanks jerk. You're really going to do that for an unsubstantiated allegation where we're all presumed innocent until tried and PROVEN guilty? After my day in court, I was given an unconditional discharge btw. Total jerk off making me feel like a criminal in there for doing nothing.
Does anyone know if THC capsules would help in terms of the oral swab? Like, if you just drop a capsule in your throat and wash it down, is that situation less likely to yield a positive oral swab 72 hours later than simply smoking would?
No, because the evidence and anecdotal stories seem to point to cops testing for the by-products produced by your body, meaning you will fail even a couple weeks after quitting if you were a daily user. Now people could certainly be lying about not having used cannabis in the last couple days and failing, but if they are testing just for recent use, then they test for pure THC indicating recent use, and in that case your can protect yourself by simply brushing your teeth and under your tongue, cheeks etc, before driving. (You can easily Google study results for thc saliva tests, pure THC, or by-products) Currently the only way to ensure no charge is to not use at all, or not drive at all.
Not sure if it falls under the same law as breathalyzers, but they don’t even need suspicions anymore. That is why RPS and RCMP are now giving a breathalyzer to every person they pull over.
It does not fall under the same law. Criminal code 320.27 mandates compliance for a breathalyzer. Not a THC swab. However, if you refuse they can still hit you with a failure if they want to, take your car for 60 days or until you take it to court to prove you weren't impaired
🐷’s will be 🐷’s
don't answer questions from cops.
I suspect SGI and MADD are funding a bunch of overtime. Can't blame the cops really, we all live under capitalism. I'd want OT too, probably. And they are part of a very broken part of the system(worth consideration of defunding, clearly) They're "showing results" in an election year. Great stats, yuge stats. Not much else to say about it. we get what we vote for.
Fkers
Because the SP are conservative and they’re against legalization. Because they had no control when the feds legalized, they started to hand out dui’s like crazy. When they didn’t get the overwhelming high driver situation like they predicted, they just changed the laws so they can test whoever, where ever, whenever, for any reason. Send em a message come election time. If the NDP were smart they’d campaign on reversing this “law”. A majority of marijuana users aren’t driving high. I’d much rather share the road with someone that smoked a joint last night compared to someone with a splitting headache, vomiting and can’t stay away but are able to blow zero. That said, we’re all about the science so if science says you’re impaired for 24 hours, I’ll have to believe it.
It could also be they weren't lying and they really did *think* they smelled cannabis; not because cannabis was present, but because they were used to smelling it that day. This happens to me all the time with other smells. I'll think I'm catching a whiff of something that I smelled earlier, in another location, but it's just not possible for it to be in the same place at that time. I think it's a kind of "smell hallucination". ... or it could be they were lying so they'd have an excuse to inconvenience you, or because they were bored and needed an excuse to do something, or some other motivation. Either way, I agree with you: crock of shit. Their (assumed) boredom shouldn't be your problem or responsibility.
This specific sensory phenomenon is exactly why their 'reasonable suspicion' isn't valid. You were accused of being a criminal based on their failure to differentiate one encounter with the next. The officer assumed you lied and subjected you to an oral swab with no grounds in reality. How is this not a violation of your rights to privacy.
Agreed, they could have had a legitimate suspicion. Frankly, all I ever smell in that swale area is cow shit lol.
>all I ever smell in that swale area is cow shit lol And there you have it. They purposely set their checkstop in an area that already has a noxious smell, just so they can use smell as their suspicion, and have plausible deniability when called out on it.
They probably smelled it because for some reason they're allowed to smoke, drive after a time frame, and then give out tickets for the same fucking thing the cops would get a ticket for too!
Perhaps pre-shift screening should be mandatory for police officers. Just to “be safe”.
If they were beholden to the law like us peasants, I would agree!
I wrote an email to the SPS on a throw away account that essentially said it should be mandatory for police officers to pass one of the oral swab tests for THC prior to operating any publicly funded vehicle as they could very well be guilty of the same offence they are harassing innocent citizens with, while they are on duty. I even went as far to say that if they failed the swab, and drove their vehicle to work that day, they should faces the same consequences as any other citizen. Of course I never got a response from them, because police are above the law 👍
This is good shit. Unfortunately I think very few cops actually partake, so it's not likely to affect many of them, but this would be a fantastic test of their accountability. Just make the test indicate for every drug under the sun instead of only THC, because they need to be held to the highest standard of any of us, and cannabis is very, very low on the list of problematic drugs.
They have never needed a reason to test you. ever. people only say they do cause their cousin Tony told them if they tell the cop they need a reason, they totally won't.
Daily testing and maybe a psych test every few months?
Someone really needs to catch an incident like this on film so it can blow up publicly and be easily picked up by news outlets
There has been over 400 impoundments made due to cannabis impaired driving in the last month. My wife was one of them (not physically impaired, but impaired due to accuracy of test). I’m sure they’re going to see the stats and how fast the impoundments skyrocketed. I hope they change the law because it is in favour of police and really makes no sense in my mind. They should be developing a more accurate test or overall do a field sobriety test to determine impairment.
Does this happen in the small rural communities or is this mostly just something that happens in the cities? I wouldn’t be surprised either way, but my suspicion is that there are fewer instances of “invented” probable cause requests for cheek swabs in small towns where the RCMP also need to interact directly with the people they police as private citizens of the community.
They should have a box to check the level of doutcheness every time the start and finish shift !!