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Doobie-ous Drivers Outdoing Drunks
By Hempology | December 29, 2006
While progress has been made in convincing Canadians of the perils of drinking and driving, there seems to be a lack of recognition about the danger involved with smoking up before getting behind the wheel, say police.
A recent Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse survey shows driving under the influence of marijuana and hashish has doubled since 1989.
It found young males drive under the influence of pot as often or more often than they drive under the influence of alcohol.
Calgary police traffic Staff Sgt. Brett Marklund said he isn’t shocked by the findings.
“It doesn’t surprise me, but it frightens me,” he said adding drugs from prescription pills to pot and cocaine can be just as deadly as booze when mixed with driving.
“Impaired is impaired,” Marklund said.
“It takes all your attention and clarity of mind to operate a motor vehicle and you’re responsible for everybody around you.”
The findings come just a month after the federal Conservative government tabled legislation to crack down on drug-impaired drivers with heavier fines and jail terms.
While also making it harder to challenge breathalyser tests in court, the main focus of the plan is those who drive while high on marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine or other drugs.
It’s a plan cops such as Marklund support, while hoping rumours of an upcoming spring election don’t derail it from proceeding.
Of 4,639 Canadians questioned for the 2004 Canadian Addiction Survey, nearly 5% reported driving within two hours of using cannabis in the previous year, more than twice the proportion found by comparable studies in 1988-89.
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