cannabisnews.com: Idaho OKs Marijuana With Driving





Idaho OKs Marijuana With Driving
Posted by FoM on January 15, 2002 at 08:06:53 PT
By David Kravets, Associated Press Writer
Source: Associated Press
In Idaho, you can drive high as long as you can drive straight. Marijuana users can drive legally in the state as long as their driving isn't erratic and they can pass a field sobriety test, a federal appeals court ruled Monday. The three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote that while it is illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol or narcotics, Idaho law doesn't list marijuana as a narcotic. 
The ruling overturned an impaired driving conviction against Matthew Patzer, 21, who was stopped for a broken tailgate light in 1998 and admitted to police he'd smoked marijuana at a party. The appeals court said Patzer could not automatically be presumed impaired; he wasn't driving erratically and passed two field sobriety tests. "Given the distinction drawn by the statute, there is no basis to conclude that impairment may be presumed upon admission of use of a non-narcotic drug," the appeals court wrote. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Fica in Idaho said the government may ask the court to review its decision or request that the U.S. Supreme Court hear the case. Idaho Senate Judiciary Chairman Denton Darrington said he had assumed marijuana was a narcotic under state law, and that the statute might need to be reviewed. But he questioned whether Monday's decision would hold up on appeal. The circuit's decision also reverses Patzer's illegal weapons convictions. In his Chevrolet Blazer, police found four illegal homemade grenades, a sawed-off shotgun and a modified rifle with a homemade silencer. But the court said that because of his unlawful arrest, the search of his vehicle was illegal. The case is United States v. Patzer, 00-30360. Source: Associated PressAuthor: David Kravets, Associated Press WriterPublished: January 15, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Associated Press Related Articles:Party Season's Drug-Driving Dangerhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11653.shtmlMarijuana and Driving: No Legal Limithttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7064.shtml
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Comment #4 posted by Jose Melendez on January 15, 2002 at 14:48:49 PT:
grenades, a silencer and a sawed off shotgun?
Is it just me, or is something backwards about this story? I mean, I can admit I got stoned, but if I actually posess marijuan, I am arrested.Does this guy get to keep his weapons now? What about my medicine?Marijuana:
is poisonous
causes cancer
kills brain cells
makes you sterile
should remain illegal
none of the above
"F" the drug war. 
Prohibition is TREASON!
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Comment #3 posted by Industrial Strength on January 15, 2002 at 14:39:50 PT
dont be partisan
Common sense? Yea, im sure this wont set the movement back a few years. All this means is Idaho will reclassify marijuana and now the anti's will associate pot heads with people who drive around blasted with an arsenal in their car. Now, I do drive high, and if im just a little bit stoned its no thing (kind of fun, actually), but ive been way to high to drive before, and ive driven and rode in cars when the driver is way to blasted to drive but is anyway. All of you out there who drive high know that sometimes you have screwed up solely because your high, hopefully your like me and it hasnt resulted in anything serious. I think if pot is ever to become legal there will have to be a law restricting people driving blasted, not because it makes sense, but to appease all the mentally impaired "drug warriors" out there.
Peace
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Comment #2 posted by observer on January 15, 2002 at 10:45:14 PT
Cannabis May Make You A Safer Driver
see also:Australia: No Proof Cannabis Put Drivers At Risk (2001)
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1849/a09.htmlUK: 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
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Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on January 15, 2002 at 08:18:21 PT
Hooray for common sense
A small victory for simple reason. 
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