Pubdate: Mon, 16 Apr 2012
Source: New Zealand Herald (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2012 New Zealand Herald
Contact:  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/300
Pubdate: Monday Apr 16, 2012
Author: Jamie Morton
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?224 (Cannabis and Driving)

COPS CATCH HUNDREDS OF STONERS BEHIND THE WHEEL

New Zealand's drug-driving scourge has been described as a "hidden 
epidemic", with latest figures showing hundreds of people have been 
caught stoned behind the wheel.

The figures, released to the Herald, show police caught 568 drugged 
drivers between the introduction of the anti-drug-driving law in 
November 2009 and February this year. The vast majority were men.

The problem has been highlighted in a recent series of TV ads showing 
the real-life reactions of secretly filmed New Zealanders when told 
the driver of their car is high on drugs.

The Automobile Association and the Drug Foundation said New Zealand's 
focus on drug-driving was still in its early stages.

"We are at the stage now with drugged driving where we were with 
alcohol 30 years ago," foundation executive director Ross Bell said.

"The whole alcohol culture change has been around ads, Breathalyser 
technology and having cops out on the road. With drugged driving, we 
are only just beginning to convince people that this is a problem, 
and that we need to deal with it.

"Our research shows there's a bit of a blase attitude among people 
who use drugs and drive ... They think it's an okay thing."

AA spokesman Dylan Thomsen said drugged driving was a "hidden 
epidemic on our roads".

He noted a recent study that found of 1046 drivers who died in 
crashes between 2004 and 2009, about 35 per cent had cannabis or 
other drugs in their system, either on their own or in combination 
with alcohol.

Other studies had found just one in 10 New Zealanders thought drugged 
driving was a problem on our roads and a third of the people who had 
used drugs in the last year said they had driven after taking them.

The two groups are at odds over whether the Government should adopt 
saliva testing used in Australia - one of the AA's election calls.

Mr Bell believed New Zealand had to settle for road-side impairment 
tests until technology enabled police to use a Breathalyser-style device.

A regional breakdown showed the Bay of Plenty consistently recorded 
the highest rate of prosecutions, making up a fifth of the national tally.

Bay of Plenty's road policing manager, Inspector Kevin Taylor, 
believed the rate reflected a continued focus by his staff on drugged drivers.

"My gut feeling is we have invested in training, the staff are 
pro-active in dealing with it, and there are a high number of 
available people to catch."

Bay of Plenty police took to the law change "with both hands" when it 
was introduced, Mr Taylor said.

"Our guys are stopping drink drivers at check-points pretty 
regularly, and we thought why not go the next step. We trained a 
significant number of staff, probably as many or more than most other 
districts."

The 116 drivers nabbed in the region compared with 70 caught in 
Waitemata, which had the second-highest rate, followed by the Central 
region, where 63 had been charged.

Counties-Manukau and the Eastern region showed the lowest totals - 
both 21 - and while most of the drivers caught nationally were aged 
between 25 and 39, teenagers still accounted for 20 per cent of the total.

Last year, sickness beneficiary Danny Kasipale, 36, was jailed for 
driving while high on cannabis and pills. He crashed into five cars 
while speeding along Dominion Rd in Auckland.

He said he felt he "just won Lotto".
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom