Pubdate: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 Source: Medicine Hat News (CN AB) Copyright: 2006 Alberta Newspaper Group, Inc. Contact: http://www.medicinehatnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1833 Author: Nicole Riva Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?224 (Cannabis and Driving) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test) TOOLS NEEDED TO FIGHT HIGH DRIVERS Local stakeholders are encouraged by the Prime Minister's announcement Friday to crack down on drug-impaired drivers, but many challenges lie ahead. "Anything we can do to make our roads safer is certainly going to be supported by the police community," said Sgt. Randy Youngman of the Medicine Hat Police Service. "Unfortunately, one of our main problems is technology hasn't caught up with the needs of the community. For alcohol we've got breathalyzers, but to the best of my knowledge, there isn't a breathalyzer for cocaine or anything like that," Youngman added. The initiative has received national support from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and local MADD President Sylvia Takacs is hopeful legislation is put into place. Takacs has seen drug-impaired drivers during checkstops MADD performs with the police, and has seen the police have their hands tied. "There's nothing they can do except give them a 24-hour suspension just to get them off the road," Takacs said. MADD has been lobbying for tougher legislation for drug-impaired drivers for several years, Takacs explained, which has been met with resistance. "(During one meeting) I brought up this very thing, that they should make it a criminal offence to refuse a blood sample or urine sample to test for drugs and his reply to me at that time was, that it could be an infringement on their civil rights, and my response was what about my civil right to be safe." From a policing perspective, Youngman says that a lot will depend on what is in the new law. "They could make it similar to an alcohol-impaired driving, where you don't have to take a breath test either. I can demand you take one if I've got proper grounds, but just the fact if you refuse one that's an offence itself," he said. Another challenge is determining the grounds to demand a test, Youngman explains. In the case of alcohol, if a police officer smells alcohol or notices erratic driving those are grounds to demand a breathalyzer test. "If we catch someone driving and smoking a joint, that's pretty easy, and marijuana itself leaves a tell-tale smell. But to a coke user or somebody that's taken too many prescription drugs we don't have that obvious cue to go on," he said. In Friday's announcement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper stated that the new legislation would also provide police with resources to detect drug-impaired drivers, while acknowledging technological challenges for drug testing. Takacs is hopeful that this legislation will be put into place because "it's better late than not at all," and that police are provided the tools to properly enforce the legislation. Youngman agrees that this is a problem that needs to be dealt with. "It's a problem we'd love to have the tools to fight." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek