The federal government is moving ahead to legalize marijuana in Canada. Ottawa is introducing legislation to parliament in spring 2017.

In a new poll, CAA found 63 per cent, almost two-thirds of Canadians worry road safety will decline when marijuana is legalized.

It also found 26 per cent of people between 18 and 34 believe a driver is either the same or better under the influence of the drug.

If marijuana is legalized, Winnipeg motorist Wanda Strachan doesn't think drivers will hit the highway stoned.

“Of all the things to worry about that's probably the least,” she said after driving from Hamiota to Winnipeg. “In my opinion they are not going to be running around. They'll be doing to it to relax, to feel better."

The Winnipeg Police Service is concerned if pot is legal, smoking marijuana and driving could become normalized, and create more work for officers.

"We have enough trouble dealing with just alcohol impaired driving, never mind adding another legalized impairing substance for us to deal with,” said Constable Stephane Fontaine.

Winnipeg police currently use drug recognition evaluators to spots the signs of impaired drivers.

Breathalyzers don't work for marijuana.

The federal government is looking at ways to improve the ability to detect and prosecute drug impaired driving

Cannabis consultant Lenore Vincent smokes marijuana to ease anxiety and depression.

“To me I'm focused when I medicate, so I'm a better driver,” she said.

Vincent helps patients access legal medical marijuana, and doesn't believe medical marijuana smokers alter road safety statistics.

“If you've got people using Tylenol 3s, they take three every morning to make it through the day, they are driving fine,” said Vincent.

Learning from the United States:

Several American states have already legalized recreational marijuana.

In Washington, it was made legal in 2012. The drug has been sold in stores for the past 18 months.

State officials are tracking THC levels of drivers, and have uncovered a troubling trend.

"Half of drivers that had THC in their system, also had alcohol in their system, and those two combined aren't just a little more impaired, they're synergistic, the impaired is much greater," said Shelly Baldwin with the Washington traffic safety commission from the state capital, Olympia.

The state is able to test levels of THC when police make an arrest. The suspect is brought to the emergency room.

It appears the drug is playing an increasing role in fatal crashes. THC was found in 38 fatal crashes in 2013. In 2014 – 78.

Officials said it doubles your risk of being in a crash.

CAA wants more public education and better tools for law enforcement to stop drivers who use marijuana.

"It's a myth that you get behind the wheel when you're impaired by marijuana and you're a better driver and it doesn't make a different and it’s just not true," said Erika Miller with CAA.