Pubdate: Thu, 14 Nov 2002
Source: Deseret News (UT)
Copyright: 2002 Deseret News Publishing Corp.
Contact:  http://www.desnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/124

IS DRUG-TESTING SCIENCE OUTPACING STATE LAWS?

WASHINGTON -- State laws haven't kept up with advances in technology that 
make it easier for police to determine if a driver is on drugs, an advocacy 
group says.

"The law is often behind where the science is," said Linda Chezem, senior 
judge for Harrison Circuit and Juvenile Court in Indiana.

Until very recently, drug-testing was limited to highly specialized 
forensic labs that sometimes took weeks to glean results.

Now, rapid tests of urine samples can produce results within minutes. 
Technology for testing blood and saliva has improved, making it easier to 
detect drugs.

Still, people who drive under the influence of illegal drugs are rarely 
detected, prosecuted or referred to treatment programs, according to a 
report by The Walsh Group and The American Bar Association, funded by The 
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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