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Cannabis and driving

Last updated on November 6, 2025

Driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal and dangerous. Police in B.C. are trained to detect and deter drug-affected driving and have multiple tools to investigate impaired driving.

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Cannabis and impairment

If you have used cannabis, do not drive. Cannabis impairment is subjective and is not always aligned with THC, which is the psychoactive component of cannabis. It’s possible a person may not feel impaired but still be under the influence of cannabis.

Cannabis affects every person differently. There is no standard or safe time to wait before driving after using cannabis.

Charges and penalties may apply if a blood sample contains:

  • Over 2 nanograms (ng) of THC per millilitre (mL) of blood
  • Over 5 ng of THC per mL of blood, or
  • Over 2.5 ng of THC per mL of blood in combination with the presence of alcohol

THC-positive drivers with a blood concentration of more than 5 ng are nearly five times as likely to cause a fatal accident.

Cannabidiol (CBD)

CBD is not generally known to cause impairment. However, cannabis products affect everyone differently. Know how CBD products affect you before you decide to drive.

Police testing methods

If a police officer suspects a driver’s ability to operate a motor vehicle is affected by cannabis, they can require a Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST).

Following the SFST, if the police officer believes that a person’s ability to drive is affected by cannabis, they may require:

  • A Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evaluation and provide a bodily fluid sample, or
  • A sample of blood

Oral fluid test

The oral fluid test is a rapid, qualitative screening test that detects THC at a cut-off level of 30 nanograms (ng) per millilitre (mL) of blood.

If an oral fluid sample tests positive for cannabis, the driver will be asked to provide a blood sample.

Blood sample

A driver may be charged with an impaired driving offence if a blood sample contains:

  • Over 2 nanograms (ng) of THC per millilitre (mL) of blood

Charges and penalties become more serious when a sample contains:

  • Over 5 ng of THC per mL of blood, or
  • Over 2.5 ng of THC per mL of blood in combination with the presence of alcohol

Learn more about the variety of impaired driving charges that are available to police. 

Federal laws

The Criminal Code of Canada offences address cannabis impaired driving.

The maximum penalty for driving under the influence of cannabis is ten years in prison.

Learn more about impaired driving laws in Canada.

Provincial laws

British Columbia’s Motor Vehicle Act provides police with additional measures to address and deter cannabis-affected driving.

The Administrative Driving Prohibition (ADP) includes drug-affected driving. Drivers will be given an immediate 90 day driving suspension if their sample contains either:

  • Over 5 nanograms (ng) of THC per ml of blood within 2 hours of driving
  • 2.5 ng/mL of THC per ml of blood in combination with the presence of alcohol within 2 hours of driving

Learn more about administrative driving prohibitions. 

New drivers

The Province’s Graduated Licensing Program has a zero-tolerance restriction for the presence of drugs in new drivers. This includes any amount of:

  • Alcohol 
  • THC
  • Cocaine

The penalty is an immediate 12-hour license suspension. This suspension will occur in addition to any criminal penalties.

After a suspension, new drivers will have to restart their 24-month N-licensing period. Learner drivers will have to reattempt all testing.

Transporting cannabis

The following is allowed in a vehicle:

  • Up to 30 grams of dried non-medicinal cannabis, or its equivalent, in its original unopened packaging
  • Up to 30 grams of dried non-medicinal cannabis or its equivalent, without packaging or in open packaging, that is inaccessible to the driver (for example, in the trunk)
  • Up to 4 cannabis plants that are not budding or flowering

Passengers and parked cars

It is illegal to consume cannabis as a passenger in a vehicle. Learn more about where you can consume.

It is illegal to consume cannabis in a non-operated vehicle parked on public roads or forest service roads.

Cannabis may only be consumed in vehicles that are being used as permanent or temporary residences located on private property or campgrounds.

Driving while impaired is against the law, without exception.