Calgary police were set up outside a northwest high school on Wednesday to instruct students about driving high can be just as dangerous and illegal as driving under the influence of alcohol.

The service set up their Checkstop truck outside Robert Thirsk High School and gave youth the opportunity to take a tour through the vehicle and learn more about what’s changed now that marijuana has become legal.

Raqeeb Popoola, a Grade 12 student, says that after he went through the vehicle, he understands how serious impaired driving can be.

“If everything in there is serious then you gotta think, this topic about using cannabis and getting behind the wheel, that’s got to be serious too.”

He says that while he doesn’t use any drugs, he knows people who do and the experience has been eye-opening.

“A lot of them are comfortable driving high and that’s because they’re not completely aware of the risks that come along with it too.”

17-year-old Aimee Koristka says her visit inside the Checkstop truck made things more real for her.

“A lot of my peers have been viewing it in the same way that they view alcohol, where it’s in and out of your system very fast. As we saw in the Checkstop bus, that’s not the case. It can stay in your system for several hours, even over a day sometimes.”

She says that it will change her choices when it comes to riding in a car with someone who has consumed cannabis.

“I’ll try to put my foot down as much as I can, offer to drive someone home, pay for an Uber; it’s just not worth someone’s life.”

Constable Dan Kurz, a drug recognition officer with the CPS, says that young people need to make some choices now that cannabis is legal in Canada.

“We want to make sure that if they choose to use this product, when they are of age, that they do in a reasonable and responsible way and that they don’t get behind the wheel while they’ve been using the substance.”

Kurz says that there is no safe level of cannabis you can have while in operation of a vehicle.

“Reaction times are delayed, perception of time is slowed. If you choose to partake, we don’t want you behind the wheel at any point.”

Authorities have had the ability to test drivers for drugs for the past few years and had already ramped up their drug enforcement on the road well before legalization was announced.

Anyone caught driving while impaired could face possible jail time, large fines, licence suspensions and possible vehicle seizure.

The Calgary Police Service has 287 officers trained to test drivers who are suspected to be under the influence of drugs including cannabis.

(With files from Brenna Rose)