Canada’s military is cracking down on legal weed

Canada’s military will impose stiff restrictions on cannabis use among members of the armed forces once the legal market opens up next month. The force has long had a zero-tolerance approach to drug use in general, but the legalization of cannabis has prompted a revamp of those guidelines.

According to its formal policy on the matter released on Friday, the Canadian Armed Forces will prohibit military personnel, including civilian members, from consuming cannabis within eight hours of duty. They will also be forbidden from consuming it on the job or while serving on or training for domestic and international operations. The substance will also be barred from any military ships and aircrafts.

Members who work on medical responses or handle ammunition and weapons won’t be allowed to consume it within 24 hours before duty.

The new rules also stipulate that the CAF will be allowed to order drug tests for cannabis consumption for members who must abstain from cannabis consumption for 28 days or longer before being expected to perform certain duties. They can also be tested for cannabis consumption when on an international operation or training for 28 days or longer.

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Members are also expected to report to their supervisor if they are unable to perform their duties properly due to any cannabis consumption.

The Canadian Armed Forces had worked for more than a year to figure out how it would handle the legalization of recreational cannabis. Earlier this year, chief of defence staff General Jonathan Vance downplayed the possibility of an outright cannabis ban for CAF members, and said he was confident that the organization would be “smart” about its future approach.

“This is dangerous duty, this is serious duty for the country, and we don’t want people doing it stoned,” Vance told reporters at the time.

Alcohol use among members of the armed forces has long been restricted and banned during certain types of operations.

Come October 17th, recreational cannabis will be fully legal across the country. Provinces and territories have come up with their own rules about how it will be sold and where it can be consumed. For example, recreational cannabis will be available for sale only online in Ontario to start, and public consumption is fully banned. In Alberta, cannabis will be sold by private retailers, with each municipality deciding their own rules around consumption.

Cover image of members of the Canadian Armed Forces marching during the Calgary Stampede parade in Calgary, Friday, July 8, 2016. Photo by Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press