UK looks to implement roadside drug testing
According to the UK Telegraph, Britain's government is no longer willing to let those who have illegal drugs in their system slip through any more checkpoints. It has let the Department of Transportation know that it is looking at creating a new law that would ensnare anyone with illegal drugs in their systems, as well as those whose driving is impaired by using legal, medicinal drugs such as sleeping pills.
A British company makes a "drugalyzer" that can detect amphetamines, cocaine, opiates, cannabis and methadone in a saliva sample. That machine is already in use in police stations, but a field unit would need to be approved by Britain's Home Office.
Right now, those thought to be driving on drugs are given the same walk-the-line field used for perceived drunk drivers for decades before the Breathalyzer came along. Countries like Romania, Australia, and Italy already perform mobile drug testing. If enacted in Britain, the bill would likely help the authorities reign in the suspected 23% of drivers and 21% of riders in accidents who have "impairing" drugs in their systems.
[Source: The UK Telegraph]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Rob 2:19PM (5/11/2009)
http://cannabisculture.com/articles/4131.html
Sad thing is people who are high and driving around tend to be safer drivers than sober people. Taking fewer risks, driving slower, in less accidents.
Reply
Rob 2:19PM (5/11/2009)
For the record, I don't do this. I've just seen a lot of studies that say the same thing.
Jake B 2:40PM (5/11/2009)
For the record, I do it allllllll the time.
Alex 2:46PM (5/11/2009)
For the record *if* i smoked pot, i would not be going anywhere. I get delivery, and have a nice case of Yuengling in the fridge. Jethro Tull is in the hi-fi and my lazy-boy becomes my drivers seat.
... *IF* i got high, mind you
Al Terego 2:52PM (5/11/2009)
Rob, if you're refering to being high on marijuana and being safer, then I'd have to more or less agree with you based on what I've witnessed through friends. But, if it's other drugs such as cocaine or amphetamines then I wouldn't be so sure about based on the lack of personal experience with them.
John 3:01PM (5/11/2009)
As someone who works in vehicle safety, you couldn't be more wrong....
Rob 3:04PM (5/11/2009)
John: If you work in vehicle safety you should read the link I posted, where the UK government does the testing and finds stoners are drive more safely.
Jake B 3:10PM (5/11/2009)
Hasn't it been said that getting all blowed out on coke makes you a better driver too? Didn't a Ferrari driver get booted or something because he was railin' up fat lines before he hopped behind the wheel on the track?
Tomac 3:29PM (5/11/2009)
This, IMO, is a good thing. I disagree that "high" drivers are safer than sober ones. Perhaps an "influenced" smart driver may be safer than sober idiot, but given the same individual, I'd prefer he/she be sober than high if I were the passenger. Poor judgment is poor judgment, period. Drugs cannot improve decision making and reaction time, it can only hurt it. I could care less if you smoke weed in the privacy of your own home, but please don't get behind the wheel.
John 3:35PM (5/11/2009)
Sorry, industry professionals would hardly consider anything published by groups with names like "cannabis culture" as relevant or credible no matter what government data they claim supports their position.
If you want real research data, try FARS or NASS.
Rob 3:45PM (5/11/2009)
John: For a straight edge guy maybe you should learn to read. You know, and look at the actual sources. The link I provided provided a few bits of information, NOT paid for by anything related to pot. Studies have been done by the UK government, Austrialia, and even our own National Highway Traffic and Safety administration. Since you are apparently too lazy (stoner) to find the actual sources, here you go:
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/general/mjdrive.htm
http://bbsnews.net/article.php/20071001105829361
Many others too. I believe even Autoblog ran a story on it a few years ago. But go ahead, keep shoving your head in the sand and believing pot is the devil because some newspaper baron said it was back in the 1930s.
John 4:00PM (5/11/2009)
My friend, I'm sure you think you are really clever and can teach me something about automotive safety, a field I've been working in for the past 20 years. My experience tells me it's "highly" unlikely (like the pun?).
Now please go back to class and leave the posting to us grown-ups.
Jake B 4:20PM (5/11/2009)
Tomac brings up a valid point. I consider myself a good driver. I can only imagine some of the crappy drivers out there being even further influenced by drugs. I guess that is what makes driving the more exciting. You never know when you will have to swerve out of the way of another car. After crazy maneuvering I always feel like a race car driver. Good times...
guybot 4:34PM (5/11/2009)
Rob,
I don't think people are saying weed is the devil, just that driving while high can increase risk. The study at the druglibrary.org link you provided (which seems the most legit of the 3) seems to agree.
From the abstract...
"This program of research has shown that marijuana, when taken alone, produces a moderate degree of driving impairment which is related to the consumed THC dose. The impairment manifests itself mainly in the ability to maintain a steady lateral position on the road, but its magnitude is not exceptional in comparison with changes produced by many medicinal drugs and alcohol. Drivers under the influence of marijuana retain insight in their performance and will compensate where they can, for example, by slowing down or increasing effort. As a consequence, THC's adverse effects on driving performance appear relatively small."
And in the summary...
"Evidence from the present and previous studies stronly suggests that alcohol encourages risky driving whereas THC encourages greater caution, at least in experiments. Another way THC seems to differ qualitatively from many other drugs is that the former's users seem better able to compensate for its adverse effects while driving under the influence. Still one can easily imagine situations where the influence of marijuana smoking might have an exceedingly dangerous effect; i.e., emergency situations which put high demands on the driver's information processing capacity, prolonged monotonous driving, and after THC has been taken with other drugs, especially alcohol."
larry a 6:02PM (5/11/2009)
Dont know if someone has already posted this already but..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3zou4F00Ic
Rob 6:36PM (5/11/2009)
Estimated deaths in year 2000 attributed to TOBACO: 400,000 ; ALCOHOL: 110,000 ; PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: 100,000 ; SUICIDE: 30,000 ; MURDER: 15,000 ; OVER-THE-COUNTER PAINKILLERS: 7,600 ; MARIJUANA: 0.
http://www.iamm.com/driving-study.htm
Seriously. Just google marijuana and driving. All sorts of links pop up, that say that stoners drive slower and more cautiously than sober people, leading to fewer accidents. But hey, I guess we have so many pro american republicans who think Obama is a dictator in here that I'll just get voted down to a half a star anyway. Whatever. Those who are in the know, know where the party is at.
Peace
Stumpy 2:20PM (5/11/2009)
What if I had just ate a whole bunch of poppy seeds?
Reply
Derek 3:41PM (5/11/2009)
You wouldn't be able to go to Africa with Mr. Peterman.
Stuka 2:41PM (5/11/2009)
Whats with the photo? The front of the focus behind the girl looks like it is way larger and closer than the rest of the car?!
Reply
Sam 2:45PM (5/11/2009)
LOL it does.
Maybe the author needs a desk side drug test for his editing?