Driving Ambition

A freshly minted activist describes how he almost singlehandedly defeated Utah legislation that would have treated any driver who tests positive for illegal drugs, impaired or not, as if he were intoxicated. Federal drug czar John Walters wants every state to adopt such laws, which essentially make it a crime for marijuana smokers to drive, since traces of the drug can be detected long after any effect on driving ability has worn off. The story of how this campaign was thwarted–for the time being, anyway–in Utah, of all places, and with the help of a Republican legislator, should give hope to reformers who wonder whether their criticism has an impact.

Comments

[OTB]

Good news indeed. Maybe we’ll insert a wee bit of rationality into our efforts to combat the use of illicit drugs.

[scott]

I’m not getting how such a law would work anyway. Does the cop say, “Pee in this cup.” For one thing, the dip stick “field tests” won’t detect marijuana use that has occurred as soon as three days before the test. Lab tests will find it for approx. 30 days. So you go to pee, and get arrested for indecent exposure? Or is everyone that is pulled over required to be taken in to be tested? No this isn’t a police state, not at all.

[Lefty]

I am shocked and awed that a Republican would give a tinker’s damn about a person’s right to privacy. The new world order has begun.

[Jax]

Went to this site and was interested to read the study done by US Dept of Transport about driving while stoned. Most interesting part – drunk people think they are driving better than they are while stoned people think they are driving worse and try to compensate. Cool.

[Allan Horn]

I vaguely recall seeing the results of a study at the University of Colorado done a decade or so ago being published in one of the medical or psych journals. The results of the study indicated that regular users of THC products drove 10-15% MORE safely than average drivers.

In Florida the state should mandate that all locals partake before driving during tourist season… maybe they would be less frustrated and dangerous on the roads when the slow moving, strangely driving snowbirds are here!

[Bivins Jason]

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DATE: 01/26/2004 01:00:47
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