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Delta police board hears report about pot in the workplace

Like many businesses, the Delta Police Department will have to review and change its policies once marijuana becomes legal in Canada later this year. At the March Delta police board meeting, Supt.
marijuana
With marijuana is set to become legal in Canada later this year, the city is exploring a regulatory framework for dealing with cannabis shops.

Like many businesses, the Delta Police Department will have to review and change its policies once marijuana becomes legal in Canada later this year.

At the March Delta police board meeting, Supt. Kelly Young presented a condensed report about cannabis in the workplace following his attendance alongside DPD Sgt. Kim Campbell at a recent Conference Board of Canada event in Toronto.

“This is obviously very topically across Canada and in fact across the world,” said Young. “Canada is the first G7 country that will be legalizing marijuana, so the rest of the world is looking at us in how we will deal with this in the workplace and in society on a whole.”

Young said a lot of the challenges the Delta Police Department will and is facing involve education.

“A lot of people don’t understand the effects of marijuana and how long it stays in your system. B.C. and Canada have some of the highest THC in the world. Back in the day the THC was very low, a few percent, now it’s up to 15 to 20 per cent,” said Young. “Right now 26 per cent of people are using it for recreational purposes, but once it becomes legal, probably about another 20 per cent will try, so we will have over 50 per cent of the population using, so education is going to be a big part.”

Young said another issue to consider is that medical marijuana production continues to be an emerging market, especially here in Delta.

“Health care benefits will be quite expensive, so the costs will be higher to employers in all sectors of business,” said Young. “Delta police are working very closely with all our other municipal policing agencies to develop a policy across the board.”

Young said the DPD is ready for the challenge.

“It is not as bad as we think,” he assured the board. “We already have good policies. You cannot come to work intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.”

But for everyone there has to be more science and studies and more independent studies. The education of employees, supervisors and managers will be key to successfully dealing with these challenges in all places of business.”