OTA voices opinion on legalization of marijuana
TORONTO, Ont. — The Province of Ontario has begun consultation sessions on the legalization of marijuana and has asked stakeholders to provide it with input on how the introduction of drug could impact their sector and how government could develop a responsible policy approach.
“Historically drug and alcohol use among commercial drivers has not been a safety issue in the Province of Ontario, and the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA), wants to keep it that way,” said Ontario Trucking Association’s Jonathan Blackham. “Operating commercial vehicles comes with an added responsibility and strong commitment to road safety. Ontario needs to make sure that all vehicle operators understand that operating a motorized vehicle under the influence of marijuana will carry strong consequences,” added Blackham.
Statistics show operators of large commercial vehicles are much less likely to be impaired by alcohol or drugs than all other motorists.
OTA supports the Canadian Trucking Alliance position that the trucking industry, regardless of the legal status of marijuana, should be held to a zero-tolerance policy for being under the influence of marijuana while at work.
The OTA will also be working with the province of on comprehensive workplace testing policies, a review of the duty to accommodate, and the benefits/impediments to establishing differing sobriety levels for commercial drivers and passenger vehicles, similar to those policies currently deployed for safety sensitive positions.
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The only reason that drug use among truckers has not been an issue in the past is because there has never been a gauge or collected stats from accident scenes. That would require a positive link made to drug use as the cause of the ‘Brain-Farts’ associated as one of the primary symptoms of marijuana use. The short – term memory loss that carries on even when the recreational user is sober.
Even pilots are not randomly tested, but the big question is What ‘Safety sensitive jobs,’ where human lives hang in their professional balance, should we be concern about 10 months from now?
Pilots, healthcare, first responders, heavy equipment – to name a few. After all, isn’t just about everything related to health & transportation ‘ Safety -Sensitive?’