cannabisnews.com: Police Endorse Driver Drug Test





Police Endorse Driver Drug Test
Posted by CN Staff on March 24, 2003 at 08:17:09 PT
By Marilyn Miller, Beacon Journal Staff Writer
Source: Beacon Journal
The Summit County Police Chiefs Association has endorsed an ordinance that would require specific tests for those suspected of driving under the influence of marijuana and cocaine.County Councilman Paul Gallagher, D-at large, introduced the measure earlier this month. As an assistant Portage County prosecutor, Gallagher learned firsthand about the frustrations of trying to convict those suspected of driving under the influence of drugs. Such standards are already in place to test for alcohol.
Gallagher said by working with a forensic toxicologist in several vehicular homicide cases in which only drugs were involved, he discovered current technology can now determine when drugs are in a person's system. Lab tests can determine whether marijuana or cocaine were used and how long the drug has been in the person's system.The new legislation would not change any penalties for a conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or driving under the influence of drugs.Nor would the penalty be any different for those who refused to take the tests. Blood tests cannot be forced on a person. Refusal to take the test would result in the same penalty as for those who refuse to submit to the test for alcohol abuse: loss of driving privileges for a year.``This ordinance provides a valuable new tool to law enforcement officials responsible for getting impaired drivers off the road,'' Gallagher said. ``I am delighted that Summit County police chiefs recognize the value of the ordinance and have agreed to support it.''In a letter to the County Council, Copley Police Chief Michael Mier, the president of the county police chiefs association, said Summit County police chiefs have thrown their support to the proposed law.``We believe this ordinance would enhance the ability of local law enforcement officers to effectively enforce violations of the driving under the influence laws and ultimately provide increased safety for all residents of Summit County,'' Mier wrote.Meanwhile the Ohio Cannabis Society has voiced its concerns about the proposed legislation.Director John Hartman said, regardless of the legal status of adult use of marijuana, laws are still needed to promote safe conduct when an individual is operating a vehicle on the highway.His group insists alcohol is the leading cause of death and injuries on the highway and legislation should focus on tougher penalties for DUI offenders. He said there should also be a greater effort to educate the general public about the dangers of drinking and driving.Hartman also disputes the percentage level criteria to be used to detect marijuana in the system. He wants the level raised to establish a standard equal to the alcohol test level.``It is my strong feeling that in its current form the ordinance has more to do with enforcing a prohibition than promoting public safety on the highway,'' Hartman told the County Council's Public Safety Committee.He said everyone wants the highways to be safe, but the analysis of the effects of marijuana on driving and accident risks imposes ethical problems.``We are a drug culture,'' said Hartman. ``If we are not taking drugs for recreational purposes, we are almost surely taking drugs for medical reasons. Many legal medical drugs we take have an effect on our ability to drive. Are we going to test for them tomorrow? What if someone is too tired to drive? Is there a blood test for that?''Another hearing is set for 4:30 p.m. today before the County Council's Public Safety Committee meeting.Note: Proposed Summit law would require check similar to alcohol test.Source: Beacon Journal, The (OH)Author:  Marilyn Miller, Beacon Journal Staff WriterPublished: Monday, March 24, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Beacon Journal Publishing Co.Contact: vop thebeaconjournal.comWebsite: http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/Related Articles & Web Site:Ohio Cannabis Societyhttp://www.ohiocannabis.orgCannabis Society Planning Downtown Rally http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14488.shtmlWasted Lives - Cleveland Free Times http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11678.shtmlCannabisNews Drug Testing Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/drug_testing.shtml
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Comment #4 posted by observer on March 25, 2003 at 23:10:33 PT
ethical problems
''He said everyone wants the highways to be safe, but the analysis of the effects of marijuana on driving and accident risks imposes ethical problems.''In more ways than one. The biggest one is the lie that pot hurts driving. Seems plausible enough. Until you look at the data that simply refuses to go away.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.htmlNeedless to say, you won't hear the US mainstream mockingbird press make a peep about those studies.But he needn't worry: the "ethical problems" of punishing people for pot-prohibition never concerns prohibitionists.http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pot
breaking drug news at the speed of Bot!
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Comment #3 posted by 420toker on March 24, 2003 at 13:08:50 PT
Only 1 test is needed for sobriety
Walk the line, hop on one foot and touch your nose, That will find a drunk driver every time, if they can do that who cares how much of what they have had, they can obviosly drive.
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Comment #2 posted by BigDawg on March 24, 2003 at 09:08:21 PT
I wanna suggest
having our police forces, from beat walkers to Chiefs, subjected to random urinalysis.I bet they'd stop supporting the madness.
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Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo MD on March 24, 2003 at 08:44:44 PT:
Debatable
"Lab tests can determine whether marijuana or cocaine were used and how long the drug has been in the person's system."Not unless you examine multiple metabolites at different points in time. As previously stated, the values of these levels in body tissues do not correlate with drug effects in the brain.Field sobriety tests are defensible, but this is highly questionable.
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