Sides Take Pot Shots

[boulder]

What was a "pipe dream" for many might soon become a reality. A House of Commons committee has recommended decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana. This week, reporter Tobi Cohen explores both sides of the issue.

 

CON: INCREASED IMPAIRMENT ON ROADS

 

More accidents on roads and increased work for law enforcement officials are some of the fears of opponents of marijuana decriminalization.

 

With no mechanism in place to determine whether someone is too high to drive, Raynald Marchand of the Canada Safety Council fears decriminalization will prompt partyers to toke and drive as a way to have fun and get where they need to go while evading potential legal troubles.

 

"We know the active ingredient does have an impact on driving so where our concern lies is if this is being decriminalized, then are drivers going to favour this as a way to party?" he said.

 

HARDER TO DETECT

 

Marchand is particularly concerned about new drivers who are bound by a zero alcohol-tolerance policy.

 

A Quebec study, he said, found marijuana was to blame in 10% of cases of impairment in young people.

 

Where alcohol impairment can be easily detected through a breathalyzer test, THC -- the active ingredient in pot - - is most easily found through blood or urine tests.

 

The problem with these tests, Marchand said, is that THC remains in the body for long periods. While a test could show a person has smoked marijuana, it won't say whether a person is currently impaired by the drug.

 

"If it's legal, then it's normal to detect it in the blood of a person, so how do you detect impairment?" he asked.

 

If the government decriminalizes marijuana, Marchand believes it must also make a decision on whether driving while impaired by marijuana should remain a criminal offence.

 

COP CONCERNS

 

While Marchand believes it should, until an adequate enforcement mechanism is in place, he thinks an aggressive education campaign is in order to ensure people understand that driving while under the influence of marijuana is just as bad as drinking and driving.

 

For Staff Sgt. Marc Pineault of the Ottawa Police drug squad, decriminalization is likely to undermine policing efforts.

 

"Decriminalization, I think, is probably going to provide some people with the mindset that it's sort of okay to smoke up," said Pineault, who is working with the RCMP to combat illegal grow operations.

 

"I think demand will go higher, and if demand goes higher, the supply goes higher. If the supply goes higher, that means the grow operations will be a problem still."

 

Decriminalization, he added, is unlikely to alleviate the burden on law enforcement officials since there is a lot of paperwork and cost involved in ticketing.

 

Note: Decriminalization could lead to high drivers, safety group warns.

 

Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)