cannabisnews.com: Officials Consider Actions Against Stoned Drivers Officials Consider Actions Against Stoned Drivers Posted by CN Staff on July 26, 2003 at 09:38:56 PT By Janice Tibbetts, The Ottawa Citizen Source: Ottawa Citizen Canadians suspected of driving under the influence of marijuana should be temporarily stripped of their licences, says the Canada Safety Council.In the absence of a reliable test to detect drug use, provincial governments should allow police to forbid driving for up to 24 hours, just as they do in cases of impaired driving, the council recommends in a report. "These suspensions remover potentially dangerous drivers from the road," says the safety council."They provide a stern and effective warning without the punitive lifetime consequences of a criminal record and a costly criminal court case."The council is pressing the issue because it says that the federal government's proposed legislation to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana has raised concerns about a rise in pot use.People caught with less than 15 grams of marijuana in their vehicles will be fined up to $400 instead of being criminally charged if the bill passes.In Ontario, there is currently no law against marijuana possession for personal use, due to a recent court ruling that struck down the federal ban.Meanwhile, police and federal officials are working on a test to nab drug-induced drivers.Justice Minister Martin Cauchon has said he will have a proposal ready to present to his provincial counterparts this fall that will include a mix of examining blood levels and physical symptoms.The safety council predicts, however, that there will not be a reliable roadside test any time soon.Unlike drunk driving, in which there is a measurable link between blood alcohol levels and driving ability, there is no similar correlation for marijuana.Another complication is that the chemical in marijuana - tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - can be detected in the body for up to four weeks, but its impairing effects do not last.The council sites several studies which it says highlight the need for action, particularly considering findings that marijuana smoking diminishes motor skills, attention span and steering ability. Note: Strip drivers of licences, says safety council.Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)Author: Janice TibbettsPublished: July 25, 2003 - Page: A4Copyright: 2003 The Ottawa CitizenContact: letters thecitizen.canwest.comWebsite: http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/ Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmMinister Vows To Smoke Out Stoned Drivers http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16439.shtmlCauchon Vows Action on Drug-Impaired Drivinghttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16432.shtmlPot Bill Will Allow for Driver Testing: Cauchon http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16424.shtmlCops Now Have a Leg Up On Tokershttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16105.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by FoM on July 26, 2003 at 16:05:36 PT Thanks JR I updated the e-mail contact. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on July 26, 2003 at 15:49:25 PT Email update My letter sent to the above mail link bounced. Searching the website, I find letters thecitizen.canwest.com - we'll see how that one does... [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on July 26, 2003 at 11:10:30 PT Soros buys ad critical of Bush http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000102&sid=aG04TFUHFK2Q&refer=ukComing tomorrow to the NYT, the Houston Chronicle, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Can anyone point me to an online version of the ad? (OK, I'll let someone else post now...) [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on July 26, 2003 at 11:01:45 PT Schlosser on CNN Just caught Eric Schlosser on CNN's On The Money. He was talking about reefer madness, and the guy sitting next to him (not the main host) was very libertarian, and was very vocal about advocating a complete end to the drug war. Overall, another positive sign in the crumbling wall. I'm also glad to see this book is still getting talked about in the media - I read it a few months ago, I've had time to get his other book too. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on July 26, 2003 at 10:57:51 PT LTE Sirs, In this article, it is claimed that "The council sites [sic] several studies which it says highlight the need for action, particularly considering findings that marijuana smoking diminishes motor skills, attention span and steering ability." I'd like to know more specific information about these findings. They would seem to clash with the report made by the Canadian Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs. After studying the drug situation in Canada for two years, the senators conclude that "Cannabis alone, particularly in low doses, has little effect on the skills involved in automobile driving." Their main concern was not cannabis on its own, but when combined with alcohol. When cannabis use is suspected, they reccomended lowering the blood alcohol limit from .10% to .04%. If alcohol alone is significantly impairing but cannabis is not, why is alcohol the legal one? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Virgil on July 26, 2003 at 10:35:18 PT Unrelated There was a big vote in the House of Representatives Friday at 3AM to allow for the importation of prescription drugs to fight the gouging that Americans experience in buying prescription drugs. You would think that senior citizens who vote and have discretionary time to write and call politicians and have their lives threatened by the high prices had the most to do with it. This link uses the search engine at Google news so results will change- http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&edition=&q=House+importing&btnG=Search+NewsThe senior citizens are the ones that will change things on the cannabis front. It could be an awakening group this next election that has to overcome a lifetime of propaganda and demonizing or it could be people like me in 5 years that become the new senior citizens.The budget crisis makes the whole issue of medical care a top issue with inflated pill prices drawing money to Medicaid/Medicare that might otherwise go elsewhere. The tactics of the pill companies need to be studied by us all- http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/CNBCTV/Articles/TVReports/P56533.asp [ Post Comment ] Post Comment