Pubdate: Wed, 03 Nov 2004 Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB) Copyright: 2004 Calgary Herald Contact: http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66 Author: Ethan Baron, CanWest News Service Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?196 (Emery, Marc) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?224 (Cannabis and Driving) STONED DRIVERS DEFENDED A stoned driver is a safer driver, B.C.'s leading marijuana advocate says. "Cannabis will likely improve your driving," Marc Emery, president of the B.C. Marijuana Party, said Tuesday. "Marijuana doesn't impair you in driving. "People don't speed on pot. People go slower, they're more cautious. They're not in a rush to get to where they're going." On Monday, the federal government reintroduced legislation to decriminalize pot possession for personal use, and retabled a bill to give police the power to make drivers submit to drug testing. Emery argued that his experience in the marijuana culture shows driving while high is safe. "I've smoked every day of my life and I've driven. I've never had an accident in 26 years of driving," he said. "I've been around pot people all my life and I don't know anybody who's had an accident while they've been stoned." His logic doesn't fly with Mothers Against Drunk Driving. "The guy doesn't know what he's talking about," said MADD Canada CEO Andrew Murie. "(He's) using that old '70s thing, 'Oh, man, you know, I'm so relaxed.' But you know, if you're so relaxed, and a life-and-death situation appears in front of you, you can't react to that. "Who sanctioned mellow drivers as the best drivers? We want people alert, in full use of their faculties." Vancouver RCMP forensic toxicologist Rick Ulrich said scientific studies have shown marijuana, which has an active ingredient called THC, is "the No. 2 drug behind alcohol in fatal accidents." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin