A parked car this past Sunday that was described as being full of smoke prompted a call to the Weyburn Police Service. The smoke was described as cigarette smoke or something similar, and so an officer was dispatched to the scene to investigate. 

“The officer attended, and spoke to the female occupant; there was also an adult male occupant and a child that was under 15, and subsequent investigation, the person in the driver’s seat was tested for cannabis, which was positive,” explained Weyburn Police Service Deputy Chief Brent VanDeSype. 

A roadside drug screen test was also conducted on the woman, which tested positive for the presence of cannabis as well.  

VanDeSype explained that there was no evidence anyone had been driving, and the amount of cannabis present may not have been enough for an impaired driving charge. However, there were some pretty substantial penalties for woman, which were described as not criminal, but rather SGI administrative sanctions.  

“The penalty was a 120-day license suspension for that female occupant, as well as the vehicle impounded for 60 days,” the deputy chief advised. “Now, those penalties are higher than if it were a first offence because it was a third offence for this particular person, which increases the penalty, as well as having an individual in the car that was 15 years of age or younger.” 

While the smoke was caused by cannabis, it did also prompt a reminder regarding smoking in vehicles in general. In Saskatchewan, it is illegal to smoke if there is a person under the age of 16 present in the vehicle, be it tobacco or vaping. The penalty for doing so can be a ticket for $280.