A motorist is facing charges of possession of marijuana, despite having medical marijuana purchasing permits, after police recovered 181 grams of improperly packaged marijuana during a checkstop Nov. 13 on Highway 2 near Baptiste Lake.
According to an RCMP media release, the Athabasca RCMP Integrated Traffic Unit along with Alberta Fish and Wildlife were conducting the checkstop. They spoke with a motorist who displayed some signs of impairment, and the odour of marijuana was detected coming from the vehicle.
The release states the motorist – whose name was not disclosed as the charges had not been sworn – was found to have 181 grams of marijuana in the vehicle and in their pockets. The release also says the person produced permits to purchase medicinal marijuana but did not have packaging to reflect the marijuana was medicinal and controlled.
Athabasca RCMP Cpl. Curtis Harsulla said people should take proper precautions when transporting legal drugs. He added it is a regular problem amongst medical marijuana and other prescription drug users.
“It’s common, and not simply just for marijuana, but prescription pills,” Harsulla said. “If we do an investigation and come across these things and they can’t either identify them or they can’t prove they’ve been prescribed to them, then that is unlawful possession of a controlled substance.”
The motorist was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance. The motorist was also charged for transporting liquor in an open container and liquor within reach of a vehicle occupant. They were deemed not to be impaired after an investigation.
The person is set to appear in Athabasca Provincial Court in January.
In the press release, RCMP advised that medicinal marijuana users keep copies of their authorization to possess it, as well as keep the drug in its original packaging.
The measures will remain in place even with the legalization of marijuana, Harsulla added, due to the 30-gram limit on recreational marijuana being proposed.
The timing of the checkstop was aimed at addressing increased traffic due to the long weekend, Harsulla said. He added that the public could expect an increased number of checkstops as the holiday season approaches due to increased traffic and parties.
