Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you very much for being here today.
I want to follow up on the issue of traffic accidents related to cannabis. I have a couple of questions.
Of the people who have been found impaired because they had been using cannabis, how many used cannabis alone and how many used alcohol as well? In other words, how is it decided which one was the one that caused the problem, or whether the cannabis use creates a bigger hit and more impairment than others?
I'm looking at a 2005 review, from France, of auto accident fatalities. It showed that the drivers who tested positive for any amount of alcohol had a four times greater risk of having a fatal accident than drivers who tested positive for THC in their blood.
You've also said that the impairment that occurs with alcohol is very different from the impairment that occurs with cannabis, and that when the levels peak is important. I don't think most people realize that up to 8 to 16 hours after they've gone on a drinking binge, or have been drinking a fair amount, they actually show effects of impairment, in terms of their cognitive skills and their own reflexes, etc., because alcohol lasts that long in the brain.
Is there any information in Canada with regard to the use of cannabis alone related to motor vehicle accidents?