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| Many, Undetected, Use Drugs and Then Drive |
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Posted by CN Staff on November 14, 2002 at 21:23:58 PT By Fox Butterfield Source: New York Times 
An estimated nine million Americans a year drive while under the influence of illegal drugs, but efforts to identify, arrest and treat them have been hampered by the weakness of state laws and, until recently, a lack of quick and reliable drug tests, a new report says.The report, issued yesterday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, calls on states to adopt criminal laws setting strict standards on the presence of drugs in a driver's body, just as they use blood alcohol content to determine that a driver is intoxicated. At present, eight states have laws, almost all passed in the last few years, that make it illegal to drive with any measurable amount of forbidden drugs in the system. In the other states, prosecutors must usually prove that the reckless conduct for which a driver was stopped was caused by drugs — a difficult standard, the report said, because a variety of factors may come into play, including the type of drug, the dose, the way it was taken and the user's metabolism. "Driving under the influence of drugs is a growing national problem, particularly among young people, but drugged drivers are not detected nearly as often as drunk drivers," said Michael Walsh, the lead author. "There is an assumption that if we can arrest drunk drivers, we are getting all the drugged drivers, but that's not true," said Mr. Walsh, president of the Walsh Group, a consulting firm in Bethesda, Md., who was executive director of the President's Drug Advisory Council under the first President Bush. "There are literally millions of Americans who are driving under the influence of drugs that we are not detecting, arresting or sending to treatment." The report is the first comprehensive study of drugged driving and of the patchwork of state laws to deal with it. The recommendation for new laws was the work of 28 experts, including police officers, prosecutors, drug specialists, insurance company executives and advocates from organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving. One difficulty is a lack of national statistics about the problem, Mr. Walsh and other experts said. The nine-million-a-year estimate comes from a nationwide survey, done for the Department of Health and Human Services in 1999, that asked respondents whether in the last year, they had driven within two hours after using marijuana or cocaine. (The new report does not cite a comparable statistic for driving under the influence of alcohol.) But Mr. Walsh said the 1999 estimate might be low. A Florida survey done by his consulting firm in 2000 found that about a third of all people stopped for driving erratically or speeding who then failed a field sobriety test were not drunk on alcohol but high on drugs. The determination was made by urine testing. Even in the eight states that criminalize driving with any amount of illegal drugs in the system, the number of prosecutions is small. In Minnesota, for example, there were only 204 convictions in 1999. The other states are Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Rhode Island and Utah. Complete Title: Many, Undetected, Use Drugs and Then Drive, Report Says Source: New York Times (NY) Related Article: Court Says Idaho Motorists Can Drive While High CannabisNews Justice Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #8 posted by aocp on November 15, 2002 at 15:15:53 PT |
| "Driving under the influence of drugs is a growing national problem, particularly among young people, but drugged drivers are not detected nearly as often as drunk drivers," said Michael Walsh, the lead author. I wonder why they were pulled over in the first place, hmmm? They might be suffering from fatigue (the #1 problem on the roads, methinks) ... ya have a test for that, too? [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by DdC on November 15, 2002 at 13:23:29 PT |
| 34 states refused the option of getting millions of dollars in highway grant funding if they incorporated the smoke a joint lose your license law. Of the 34 states California is not one of them. The law was geared towards kids smoking a joint, even in their own homes not driving. Urine tasting adult drivers under the pretense of safety will do the same for legal medical patients and other hard working safely employed adults and abuse the rights as stated on the other post. Removing safe workers for unsafe legal abusers makes as much sense as worshipping D.E.A.th. Or as much as the war on ganja. Or as much sense as Bush II the sequel. Or as much as anything these low life scumbuckets muster up. Profits for Drugczars besides their salary perpetuating the war on ganja. How much in taxes is Wally makng each paycheck? Fascist racist murdering theives. In the name of Whoreland Security! Peace, Love and Liberty or the D.E.A.th Merchants of Hades! DdC Date: Sun Nov 3, 2002 4:53 am Subject: Chemicals destroying human species When you see the giant chemical, oil and pharmaceutical companies advertising their support for the arts, for culture or for education leaven their propaganda with the reality of how they are destroying the health of the entire human race and destroying much of the life on Earth. A great deal of new material has been published recently on http://www.OurStolenFuture.org. A sample below, with links. For a full list in chronological order, visit http://www.OurStolenFuture/new/newstuff.htm It turns out we're not winning the war against cancer: A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reveals that biases built into standard analyses of cancer incidence data were obscuring the fact that rates of breast, prostate and several other cancers continue to increase in the United States. The old methods had falsely indicated that these and other cancer rates were either flat or decreasing. http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/human/cancer/2002/2002-1016cleggetal.htm Dutch scientists report that boys exposed prenatally to higher levels of PCBs and dioxin are more likely to show demasculinized play behaviors. Girls and boys exposed to modestly elevated dioxin levels demonstrate more feminized play behaviors. The scientists suggest that that these alterations in play result from endocrine disruption of the development of sex-specific behaviors. http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/behavior/2002/2002-09vreugdenhiletal.htm A combined lab and field study of the leopard frog implicates atrazine in widespread feminization of males during tadpole development and metamorphosis. The lab studies confirmed earlier findings from a different amphibian, the African clawed toad, that extremely low levels of atrazine causes significant gonadal abnormalities in male frogs. The field studies demonstrate widespread abnormalities in wild populations of the frog and link them to the geography of atrazine use. http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/wildlife/frogs/2003/2003-1023hayesetal.htm A ten-year study of the brain structure reports that children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have brains significantly smaller than normal. The size differences are apparent in early childhood, at the earliest ages examined in the study. The authors conclude that ADHD is a biologically-based disorder with clear structural differences, and that the events initiating ADHD are likely to occur in the womb. http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/behavior/2002/2002-10castellanosetal.htm Using new analytical methods, a team of German scientists measured bisphenol A in the blood of pregnant women, in umbilical blood at birth and in placental tissue. All samples examined contained BPA, at levels within the range shown to alter development in laboratory experiments with animals. Thus widespread exposure to BPA at levels of concern is no longer a hypothetical issue. It is occurring. http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/oncompounds/bisphenola/2002/2002-10schonfelderetal.htm A study by a distinguished group of experts on the effects of diethylstilbestrol, including Arthur Herbst, whose research first revealed DES's human toll, reports that exposure to DES in the womb elevates breast cancer risk beginning in a woman's fifth decade of life. The sample size remains small, because DES use was most prevalent in the '50s and '60s and therefore exposed "DES daughters" are only now reaching the age when breast cancer incidence rises substantially. Nevertheless, this new study clearly indicates that DES daughters over 40-yrs old are at greater risk to breast cancer than unexposed women of comparable age. http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/human/cancer/2002/2002-10palmeretal.htm New results from scientific studies of people exposed to dioxin during the 1976 chemical plant explosion in Seveso, Italy, reveal that immune system suppression by dioxin continues on at least 2 decades following initial exposure. Higher levels of dioxin correlate strongly with lower levels of a key immune system defense component, immunoglobulin G. http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/immune/2002/2002-0930baccarellietal.htm Research at the University of Wisconsin reveals that very low doses of a commercial mixture of lawn chemical herbicides including 2,4-D causes fetal loss in mice. The scientists who conducted the study obtained the herbicides by simply going to a local hardware store and buying a common brand. Tests are usually conducted on pure components of such brands, instead of the actual mixtures sold. Tests with the pure components had indicated exposure at levels used in these experiments should not have caused effects. In fact, the lowest level used in the experiments, which caused significant fetal loss, was one-seventh the level allowed by EPA in drinking water. These results indicate that mixtures must become a focus of regulatory testing for toxicology, and that current standards are not adequate. http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/reproduction/2002/2002-0917cavieresetal.htm The Chemical Manipulation of Human Consciousness http://schools.limestone.on.ca/sydhs/ChemicalManipulation.html Cannabis/Driving Studies Australia: No Proof Cannabis Put Drivers At Risk (2001) http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1849/a09.html UK: Cannabis May Make You A Safer Driver (2000) http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1161/a02.html University Of Toronto Study Shows Marijuana Not A Factor In Driving Accidents (1999) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases\1999\03\990325110700.htm Australia: Cannabis Crash Risk Less: Study (1998) http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v98/n945/a08.html Australia: Study Goes to Pot (1998) http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v98/n947/a06.html The Hype: Brain Damage and Dead Monkeys http://www.jackherer.com/book/ch15.html George Bush, appointed Carlton Turner as the White House Drug (czar) Advisor in 1981. Soon after Turner left office, Nancy Reagan recommended that no corporation be permitted to do business with the Federal government without having a urine purity policy in place to show their loyalty. Just as G. Gordon Liddy went into high-tech corporate security after his disgrace, Carlton Turner became a rich man in what has now become a huge growth industry: urine-testing. ACS - Division of Analytical Chemistry - DAC Awards - John P. Walters 1980 This kind of business denies the basic rights of privacy, self-incrimination (Fifth Amendment) rights, unreasonable search and seizure, and the presumption of innocence (until proven guilty). Submission to the humiliation of having your most private body parts and functions observed by a hired voyeur is now the test of eligibility for private employment, or to contract for a living wage. PDFA:DARE FRC Slickly Packaged Lies http://www.jackherer.com/book/ch14.html * Some of the teachers we talked to find themselves in the uncomfortable position of knowing the real studies, or have used cannabis themselves and know its effects, but cannot openly present their case for fear of being urine tested or dismissed. "Certain American industrialists had a great deal to do with bringing fascist regimes into being in both Germany and Italy. They extended aid to help Fascism occupy the seat of power, and they are helping to keep it there." - William E. Dodd, U.S. Ambassador to Germany, 1937. Continued...http://www.sumeria.net/politics/shadv3.html D.E.A.th Deceptions http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/ddc/DEAth.html The Alternatives to D.E.A.th Chemicals! Organic Cannabis Food, Fuel and Fiber... http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/ddc/Food.html http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/ddc/Fuel.html http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/ddc/Fiber.html [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #6 posted by Dan B on November 15, 2002 at 12:41:27 PT:
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| . . . you voted for ratcheting up these laws. You voted for increased penalties, and you voted in favor of the drug war. You voted for a larger prison population, and you voted for more lies, more lies, more lies. You get what you ask for, sometimes. Dan B [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by John Tyler on November 15, 2002 at 10:02:59 PT |
| I certainly am not for driving or operating machinery while under the influence, but what about the millions of folks who drive around under the influence of "legal perscription" drugs, like tranqulizers, muscle relaxers and various types of high powered pain killers? I know some older people that stay on these kinds of meds. all the time and they are out driving, or is that OK? [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #4 posted by krutch on November 15, 2002 at 08:00:59 PT:
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| Of course they want new laws. These laws will lead to more profit as the insurance companies get to raise rates on anyone is caught with any illegal drug in their blood. This leans the most on those who use the least impairing drug. So if you have smoked in the last couple of days and are caught, off you go to re-education. Here is some alarmist nonsense: "Driving under the influence of drugs is a growing national problem" Really? How did they come up with that? When the war on drugs is called a failure we are told that drug use has gone down to convince us otherwise. If it is true than how is driving ubder the influence a growing problem? [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #3 posted by Ethan Russo MD on November 15, 2002 at 04:20:35 PT:
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| If this federal law were enacted: 1) There should be a constitutional challenge (not that it would necessarily do any good). 2) Anyone taking Marinol would be positive for THC metabolites and subject to arrest. 3) Anyone eating poppy seeds could be positive for opiate metabolites and subject to arrest. 4) We will have proof of the arrival of the totalitarian state. 5) Osama bin Laden can declare victory. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by CorvallisEric on November 15, 2002 at 00:03:56 PT |
| about the proposal at the link below, which has further links. Excerpts:Expert Panel Recommends Zero Tolerance Laws for Drugged Driving The zero tolerance or per se laws, which are found in eight states [Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Utah], simply make it a criminal offense to operate a vehicle while having a drug or a drug metabolite in one's body or bodily fluids ... The consensus statement recommends that: * States should consider adopting zero tolerance or per se laws to identify drugged drivers and mandate evaluation and/or treatment for offenders. * The law should prohibit operation of a motor vehicle when any amount of drug is present in the body. ... Just think, if everyone who smoked a joint the last few days (in some cases weeks) could be convicted of drugged driving and sent to "treatment" then there could be millions in rehab "primarily" for marijuana. Self-fulfilling prophesy gone mad. Justification for increasing Drug War MJ emphasis from 60% (or whatever) to almost 100% and eliminate such irrelevancies like alcohol, heroin, meth, PCP. I suppose their next report will deal with how to increase the capture and conviction rate from miniscule to the full 9 million plus. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by CorvallisEric on November 14, 2002 at 23:15:33 PT |
| Applications are being accepted for the Substance Abuse Policy Research Program, deadline Feb. 7, 2003. This program is requesting proposals for research projects that will produce policy-relevant information about ways to reduce the harm caused by the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs in the United States. The Call for Proposals (CFP) is intended to encourage experts in public health, law, political science, medicine, sociology, criminal justice, economics, psychology and other behavioral and policy sciences to address issues related to substance abuse, the nation's number one public health problem. [emphasis by Eric]http://www.rwjf.org/applyForGrant/openAbstract.jsp?cfpCode=SPR [ Post Comment ] |
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