In a survey released Tuesday on marijuana use and its effect on driving, 52% of respondents in Manitoba who admit to driving high in the past say they believe they can do so safely.

“Half of them now — which is an increase over the same question we asked last year — don’t believe it affects their judgement or impairs them in any way to operate a motor vehicle safely,” said John Bordignon, spokesman for State Farm Canada which conducted the online survey last month with more than 3,000 respondents of driving age across Canada.

One in 10 respondents admit they have driven under the influence of marijuana with 45% within the past 12 months. But more than half of them in Manitoba thought they could still drive safely. When the same question was asked of Canadians in general, 73% felt that marijuana use would impair the skills necessary to drive.

Another key finding in the survey revealed that one in four Manitobans say their views on marijuana have changed since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his promise to legalize marijuana. And of those whose views have changed, 67% felt marijuana use has become more acceptable.

“Anything that impairs your judgement whether it be alcohol, prescription drugs, marijuana or even distractions is something that we are very concerned with because you’re not just dealing with your own safety as a driver,” said Bordignon. “You can be dealing with the safety of your passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and other people that you share the road with. We’re a big advocate that if you’re going to drive, do so without the impairment of anything like alcohol or drugs and be fully attentive to what you’re doing when driving.”

Almost 80% of Manitobans don’t believe, or are unsure, that police have the tools and resources to identify marijuana-impaired drivers and 64% felt people who drive while high should have the same legal penalties as drunk drivers.

“If you want to go out on a Saturday night and smoke a joint when it’s legal to do so in your jurisdiction, we can’t tell you not to do that,” said Bordignon. “What we’re saying is think about what you might do when it affects other people and one of those big things is driving impaired.”

Last week, the CAA praised the stiff new penalties for drug-impaired driving in the federal government marijuana legislation but called for more money to train police in drug recognition and to acquire testing devices.

“Right now law enforcement is not sufficiently equipped to enforce the law and the cost to train them is high,” said CAA Manitoba Corporate Manager of Government and Consumer Relations Liz Kulyk in a press release. “And we know from our experience with alcohol that public enforcement significantly reduces the amount of impaired driving. It is urgent that we get police properly trained, and messaging on myths and penalties to people.”

Gdawkins@postmedia.com

Twitter: @SunGlenDawkins

Survey says

Results of Manitobans polled during State Farm Canada survey released Tuesday:

- 52% of those who admit to driving high in the past say they believe they can do so safely

- 77% say they are concerned about people driving under the influence of marijuana

- 86% feel there is not enough information available about the risks associated with driving under the influence of marijuana

- 79% don’t believe, or are unsure, that police have the tools and resources to identify marijuana-impaired drivers

- 64% said that people who drive while high should have the same legal penalties as those who drink and drive

- 71% do not feel that the Canadian legal system has made progress over the past year to deal with people who drive under the influence of marijuana, whether in the form of testing, legislation or public awareness

- State Farm Canada