The Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) released a new report entitled, “Cannabis & Road Safety: Policy Challenges,” funded by the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). Drugged driving and strategies to address the problem have been increasingly recognized as a priority in the past decade. Coordinated action across law enforcement, transportation and health sectors at Federal and provincial/territorial levels is needed to keep Canadians safe on our roads. The focus of this study was to identify key strategies, relevant issues, and implementation plans to help inform the development of drugged driving strategies.

A total of 46 individuals, that included line staff and managers in 25 agencies representing Federal and provincial stakeholders, were interviewed. Topics explored included: research, laws and penalties, implementation strategies, public perceptions and education, and metrics and evaluation. These results provide practical insight into the knowledge and tools that are needed to help stakeholders address this issue, and the remaining barriers that must be overcome to ensure road safety enhancements. Prevention strategies require adequate resources in the form of capacity, time and funding to support the necessary large-scale modifications to road safety policies and programs to reinforce the emphasis on safety underscored by the Federal government.