cannabisnews.com: Nevada Bill Boosts Legal Marijuana Level in Blood Nevada Bill Boosts Legal Marijuana Level in Blood Posted by CN Staff on March 31, 2003 at 19:31:03 PT By Ben Kieckhefer, Associated Press Source: Las Vegas Sun Carson, Nev. -- Police and prosecutors clashed Monday with advocates of a bill changing the Nevada law dictating the legal levels of marijuana in a motorist's blood stream. Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, told the Assembly Judiciary Committee that changing the current levels are too low, and the higher ones are better measures of whether someone is impaired while driving. But representatives of police agencies in Las Vegas and Reno and the state's district attorneys argued the change would make it virtually impossible to prosecute people for driving under the influence of the drug. Giunchigliani's AB362 would increase the threshold for marijuana levels from 2 nanograms per milliliter of blood to 15 nanograms. The bill also removes provisions allowing urine tests for marijuana use. The assemblywoman said the purpose of the bill is to get to the driver who is impaired and not just a "casual user" of marijuana. "In going back to the original testimony (in committee), Giunchigliani said. "There was no reasonable scientific basis for picking 2 and 5 (nanograms). And I think what 2 and 5 does is capture your casual user. It does not capture those who are driving impaired." Giunchigliani said 15 nanograms is the level the state Personnel Department uses as a threshold for workplace safety. Dr. Bill Anderson, chief toxicologist in the forensic science division of the Washoe County Sheriff's office, said that increasing the threshold to 15 nanograms is excessive. Anderson said that of 319 positive tests conducted by his lab over the past year for THC, marijuana's active drug, 60 percent had between 2 and 5 nanograms of THC per milliliter or blood. Just 6 of the 319 cases had THC levels at 20 or above, the level initially suggested in the bill. Anderson said that once marijuana is consumed, the level of THC spikes sharply in the blood, but it also decreases very rapidly, too. He said that because of the time frame for stopping motorists and transporting them to a medical facility for a blood test, people could have 15 nanograms of THC in their blood when pulled over, but have just 5 nanograms when the test is conducted. James Jackson, a lobbyist for Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice, said his organization supports the measure because it's an effort to focus more directly on actual impairment. "It connects the presence of (marijuana residue) with being under the influence rather than going the other way where all you have to do is show it's present and therefore you're guilty of an offense of driving while impaired," Jackson said. No scientist who testified before the committee could provide a numerical threshold at which people become impaired from marijuana. Judiciary Chairman Bernie Anderson, D-Sparks, assigned the measure to a subcommittee for further consideration. Complete Title: Nevada Bill Boosts Legal Marijuana Level in Blood While DrivingSource: Las Vegas Sun (NV)Author: Ben Kieckhefer, Associated PressPublished: March 31, 2003Copyright: 2003 Las Vegas Sun, Inc.Contact: letters lasvegassun.comWebsite: http://www.lasvegassun.com/Related Articles:Giunchigliani's Marijuana Measure Criticizedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15769.shtmlBill Would Toughen Marijuana Lawshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15351.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by freedom fighter on April 01, 2003 at 19:44:29 PT Do you know what Half LIfe is? "Anderson said that once marijuana is consumed, the level of THC spikes sharply in the blood, but it also decreases very rapidly, too. He said that because of the time frame for stopping motorists and transporting them to a medical facility for a blood test, people could have 15 nanograms of THC in their blood when pulled over, but have just 5 nanograms when the test is conducted." That is a good question but I thought that according to the research done by Dr. Nahass??(sp) who claimed that the Half Life of THC stays in one's body longer than most expected. Even the U.S govt. brought and paid for that research. Today, maybe for those who may not know, they are using that research in "treatment" centers to treat(re-education) their "pot-head" clients. So it is an interesting conflict, do THC quickly disspate in one's body? Or do THC stays in one's body quite a while?All that does not prove that one is imparied. Not one nanogram, 10, 100, 1000000000 nanograms can be possibly proved that you are imparied!You know How I found this out???Only in CannabisNews!PAZ [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by BigDawg on April 01, 2003 at 06:39:10 PT What is the point then? "No scientist who testified before the committee could provide a numerical threshold at which people become impaired from marijuana."If a numerical threashold is not yet known then what is the point of the law... other than creating a crime out of thin air? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by The GCW on April 01, 2003 at 06:30:08 PT The purveyors of urine... are sick suckers.Nevada is a progressing. Are the police and D.A.s dollar denominational? or what? Is urine the only thing they seek? What about fresh trace elements in stained underwear, will that work?Perhaps they could install a device in the toilet to do the whole sheebam.These urine suckers are not to be trusted, with Our children.Sick urine suckers have the police carting off people to attain urine, for profit and sport. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment