Cannabis will be allowed in your car, must be out of reach

CTV QP: Suppliers face 'pent up demand' for pot Canopy Growth co-CEO Mark Zekulin says that there will be 'hiccups' as demand may outstrip supply for legal cannabis.

When cannabis becomes legal next week, motorists will have to be careful about where they store the drug while driving.

While the rules vary slightly among the provinces and territories, for the most part, the cannabis must remain sealed in its original packaging and out of reach of anyone in the vehicle. These regulations echo existing laws for transporting alcohol in your vehicle.

When it comes to cannabis, some provinces are more strict, however. For example, Manitoba specifies that the drug must be transported in the vehicle’s trunk, or in an external compartment.

P.E.I., on the other hand, allows for the transportation of marijuana in open packaging, provided it is out of the driver or any passenger’s reach.

Possible fines for violations also vary from province to province, ranging from $237 in Manitoba, to as much as $5,000 and possible jail time in British Columbia.

Of course, driving while consuming cannabis or while under the influence of cannabis will be strictly illegal across the country and could lead to a fine or possible jail time.

Bill Bogart, a law professor at the University of Windsor and author of “Off the Street: Legalizing Drugs,” told CTV’s Your Morning Wednesday that many Canadians think it’s OK to consume marijuana and get behind the wheel.

“One of the biggest myths is that there’s no problem using it and driving,” he said.

A recent poll from the Canadian Automobile Association indicates more than 1.9 million Ontario residents have driven under the influence of cannabis.

Cannabis becomes legal in Canada on Oct. 17.

Here’s a look at each province’s rules for driving with cannabis: