Pot-loving police officers in Vancouver are pretty lucky.

Based on recent rules revealed by the Vancouver Police Department, off-duty officers will be permitted to consume weed once the plant becomes legal for recreational purposes on October 17.

This doesn’t mean that officers in the Great White North will be allowed to attend work “stoned,” however. Canada’s cannabis laws state that officers must be “fit for duty” upon reporting to the workplace.

Canada’s cannabis laws are quite different to U.S. policies

Many of Canada’s cannabis policies might surprise the average American. An example would be the rule put into place by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) that says soldiers must abstain from cannabis consumption at least eight hours prior to reporting for duty.

The CAF also enacted a law that prevents police officers from enjoying the green stuff 24 hours before they handle a firearm.

Policies have not yet been revealed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). However, the RCMP says it will not forbid officers from using the plant.

When compared to the rules that have been established for the United States military, Canada’s cannabis regulations are somewhat surprising. Soldiers serving in the U.S. military are completely forbidden from consuming weed. This rule even applies for police force workers operating in weed-friendly states.  

Such contrasting laws in Canada could potentially persuade the U.S. to change its mind on cannabis policies.

Officers must be fit for duty under Canada’s cannabis laws

Although police officers in Vancouver will be able to toke during off-duty hours, the regulations put forth by the Vancouver Police Board in July state that officers must attend the workplace “fit for duty.”

The rule was approved on Wednesday, September 26, over an initial recommendation by the Vancouver Police Department suggesting that officers refrain from smoking or consuming it in any other way 24 hours pre-shift. This recommendation was put forward by the department in an August report, but was rejected by the board.

So, why did the board reject the previously suggested 24-hour abstinence period?

Since the cannabis plant impacts individuals in various ways, there is no medical consensus to state how long it takes for cannabis compounds to leave the system. This was highlighted in the August report.

“Specifying a time frame can create an implicit approval that this period of abstinence is all that’s required to ensure fitness for duty,” reads the report. “This can lead to unnecessary labor conflicts where employees are fit for duty but have consumed cannabis within this timeframe, or where employees are not fit for duty but mistakenly believe they are as they consumed outside this time frame.”

Officers working for the VPD may be allowed to consume cannabis while off-duty. However, use of the drug will be forbidden “prior to the start their shift,” just like alcohol.

Cannabis can be carried on their person during working hours or when taking a break, but only on one condition: it is contained in an unopened, sealed and original package.