cannabisnews.com: Pot No Impairment, Toker Tells Hearing Pot No Impairment, Toker Tells Hearing Posted by CN Staff on January 08, 2003 at 07:50:25 PT By Tobi Cohen, Ottawa Sun Source: Ottawa Sun Killaloe -- Impairment from marijuana is a rarity for Rick Reimer who testified yesterday that smoking an average of 12 joints a day has boosted his tolerance, leaving him perfectly capable of such mundane activities as driving a car. Wearing large winter boots, a striped gray suit and a pink, purple and blue tie, the goateed former lawyer and marijuana activist appeared in Killaloe court reeking of pot to defend himself against impaired driving charges. While Reimer admitted he used the drug for "recreational" purposes since the age of 14, the multiple sclerosis sufferer received a medical exemption to toke in 2000. "I engage in lots of activities in the course of a day that I would (not) engage in if I was impaired by marijuana," Reimer said, citing his ability to defend fine points of law, saw wood, host a radio show, recite poetry, and write plays. Reimer, who had just driven himself to the tiny courtroom, said he was just as impaired at that moment as he was when he was pulled over by police along Hwy. 58 in February of last year. ABILITY TO IMPAIR While toxicology expert Dr. Robert Langille said marijuana does have the ability to impair driving, Reimer maintained that impairment is subjective and depends on individual tolerance and how familiar the smoker is with a particular batch of marijuana. While Reimer admitted he might have swerved over the line while "changing a CD" or "lighting a joint," he said it was not directly related to impariment. The unsteadiness police witnessed when he exited his vehicle, he said was more likely the result of his medical condition. NOTHING SPECIAL While Crown Attorney Mac Lindsay suggested Reimer was too impaired to notice the arresting officer had tried to give him a break by asking his girlfriend to drive instead, Reimer said he wasn't looking for any special treatment. "It's not his place to tell me, 'you're allowed to do this and she's allowed to do that,' " he said. "I think the duty of police is if they think a crime is being committed to lay charges ... I think they didn't know what to do." Testimony continues in Pembroke court today. Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)Author: Tobi Cohen, Ottawa SunPublished: Wednesday, January 8, 2003 Copyright: 2003 Canoe Limited PartnershipContact: editor sunpub.comWebsite: http://www.fyiottawa.com/ottsun.shtmlRelated Article & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmNew Laws Needed for Drivers Smoking Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15034.shtmlCannabisNews - Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by The GCW on January 09, 2003 at 07:38:22 PT update 1:9:3 http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n037/a12.html?397MARIJUANA MOTORIST ACQUITTED & Smoking Motorist Not Guilty of Impaired Driving http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread15146.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on January 08, 2003 at 09:53:18 PT Important E-Mail News I didn't post the whole email but wanted to make sure you saw what the DEA did this time.DEA Suspends Dr. Fry's Prescription Privileges From Dale Gieringer Fred Gardner reports:How Dr. Fry Lost Her Prescription PrivilegesThe good news in the life of Marian "Mollie" Fry, MD, is that December '02 marked the five-year anniversary of her breast-cancer surgery. Also, her three kids (ages 15, 12 and 10) and the two she helped raise (husband Dale Schafer's from a previous marriage, now 26 and 25) are healthy, intelligent and generally "together." The bad news follows.In December Doctor Fry received a letter from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration revoking her prescription-writing privileges. Last week a message on the answering machine informed Shafer that the medical board had forwardedFry, 46, is one of the dozen or so California doctors who have been liberal in recommending cannabis to patients with medical conditions less severe than AIDS or cancer. More than 80% of the approximately 7,000 patients she has seen since 1996 use it to relieve physical pain. Another 15% use it for psychological pain.Dr. Fry herself has used cannabis for chemo-induced nausea, depression, PTSD, and insomnia. She discovered its anti-depressant effects at age 13, soon after her mom -a research physician who'd stayed home to raise her kids- died at age 42.Mollie Fry graduated from Western Washington University in 1980 and from UC Irvine School of Medicine in 1985. After an internship at UC Davis she became a family practitioner in Lodi, where she supervised two physicians' assistants. The California medical board did not look askance on this approach, which maximizes the number of patients whose care a doctor can oversee. Dale Gieringer (415) 563-5858 // canorml igc.orghttp://www.canorml.org/2215-R Market St. #278, San Francisco CA 94114Yes, We're At War ... Against Sick Americans: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread11085.shtml California NORML [ Post Comment ] Post Comment