$10,000 Fine if Caught Smoking Weed While Driving Under New Road Traffic Act

The Jamaica Constabulary Force has announced a new road regulation which prohibits motorists from smoking ganja while around the steering wheel. The new traffic act was announced via social media today as the government’s new Road Traffic Act (RTA 2018) came into effect.

In a tweet, the JCF alerted the public that driving while high attracts a fine of $10,000. The tweet read, “If we see you ‘rollin’ while smoking, you will be ticketed. You can be fined $10,000.00 for driving ‘high’ #newroadtrafficact.”

The message was accompanied by an image of someone holding a joint in a vehicle. The tweet, which has over 12.9k views, sparked questions regarding whether or not the regulation applied to cigarettes.

One Twitter user inquired, “What if I’m not smoking but the passenger is???,” and another user commented, “So y’all implement another way to extort Jamaicans or leech off of Jamaicans. How can you fine a citizen for using a non-illegal substance, in their own personal vehicle? Isn’t this violating our constitutional rights?”