Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) recently conducted a test that found that roughly one in 10 drivers in the province were operating vehicles under the influence of drugs.
The provincial government is using the data collected by the public insurer to push for legislation to help police clamp down on drug-impaired drivers.
MPI collected cheek swab and breathalyzer samples from volunteer drivers back in September. After testing the samples, it was found that 124 out of the 1,230 (about 10%) were driving while under the influence of a drug.
Although 1,230 agreed to be tested, 503 drivers declined to undergo the test.
In the same test, only 2.4% of the drivers tested were found to have alcohol in their systems.
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“At 10%, the prevalence of drugs in the tested drivers is significantly more common and extremely concerning,” MPI communications vice-president Ward Keith said in a written statement.
The study went into greater detail about the types of substances motorists were consuming, CBC reported. Fifty-three per cent (53%) of drivers testing positive for drugs had cannabis in their system, 31% had cocaine, 12% had opioids, and 2% tested positive either for benzodiazepines, amphetamines, and/or methamphetamines.
Of the drivers who tested positive for drug use, 22% had taken more than one drug.
Keith explained that the study would help MPI develop a baseline for drug use in preparation for the federal government’s legalization of marijuana this spring.
The provincial government, however, plans to act immediately based on the data gathered. On Thursday, a bill will be introduced that would create a system of checks and balances once cannabis is legalized.
Justice Minister Heather Stefanson revealed that the bill will also include measures to deal with health and safety concerns once the substance is rendered legitimate.
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