Pubdate: Wed, 20 Dec 2006 Source: Kingston Whig-Standard (CN ON) Copyright: 2006 The Kingston Whig-Standard Contact: http://www.kingstonwhigstandard.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/224 DRUGGED DRIVING DOUBLES Young Males Cited As Biggest Offenders OTTAWA - A study coming on the heels of federal efforts to discourage drug-impaired drivers indicates driving under the influence of marijuana and hashish has more than doubled since 1989. The survey by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse says young males are driving under the influence of cannabis as often as, or more often, than they drive under the influence of alcohol. The survey results come just a month after the federal Conservative government tabled legislation to crack down on drug-impaired drivers with heavier fines and jail terms. While also making it harder to challenge breathalyser tests in court, the main focus of the plan first advanced by the former Liberal government are those who get behind the wheel while high on marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine or a variety of other drugs. Of 4,639 Canadians questioned for the 2004 Canadian Addiction Survey or CAS, 4.8 per cent reported driving in the previous year within two hours of using cannabis, more than twice the proportion found by comparable studies conducted in 1988 and 1989. Researchers said it is not clear what impact the figures are having on crash-related death and injury. "Controlled studies that have attempted to determine the risk of crash involvement associated with driving after cannabis use have shown mixed results," said Rita Notarandrea, the centre's research and policy director. "The CAS data provide us with a more accurate understanding of the prevalence of driving after cannabis use in Canada, but points to a gap in understanding how much of a factor this is in causing or contributing to harms such as motor vehicle crashes." Males were 3.6 times more likely than females to drive under the influence of cannabis. The report also cites other research suggesting young cannabis users may not perceive their driving abilities to be adversely affected after using cannabis, or at least less affected than after consuming alcohol. Many young people also believe that it is difficult for police to detect and charge drivers for driving after cannabis use, it said. "The data are telling us that youth, particularly young males, are a high-risk group and that many of these young drivers may have a false sense of security about driving under the influence of cannabis," said Notarandrea. However, a prevalence of those who reported driving under the influence of cannabis also reported consuming higher-than-average amounts of alcohol, said the report titled Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis. Under the federal government's new bill, the minimum fine for a first offence of either drug-or alcohol-impaired driving would be $1,000 rather than the current $600. A second offence would bring a mandatory 30 days in jail rather than 14, a third offence 120 days rather than 90. In the worst cases, the maximum sentence would be life in prison for impaired driving causing death and 10 years for causing bodily harm. Driving while intoxicated by any substance has long been illegal. But there is no simple and conclusive roadside test for drug impairment to match the well-known breath test that measures alcohol levels. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine