Pubdate: Sun, 09 Nov 2003
Source: Grand Island Independent (NE)
Copyright: 2003 Grand Island Independent
Contact:  http://www.theindependent.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1023
Author: Mike Bockoven

OFFICIALS: MARIJUANA, DRIVING IS DEADLY

A Lethal Mix On The Roads. Pot Similar To Alcohol On Driving; Officials Say 
It's An Issue In G.I.

The Drug Recognition Experts of the Grand Island Police Department are 
trained to recognize the effects of drugs on a person. Of the 18 traffic 
stops the seven officers have made this year in which a person was driving 
under the influence of one or more drugs, all have something in common.

"Marijuana has been a component in all of them," Sgt. Dale Hildebrandt 
said. "Oftentimes it's a poly-drug situation where the person is on more 
than one, but all of them included marijuana."

Preconceptions aside, marijuana slows reaction time, makes it harder to 
concentrate and generally has the same effects as alcohol on driving, 
Hildebrandt said. While there have been only 18 stops this year, 
considering the number of DREs in proportion to the number of stops, 
Hildebrandt said it's definitely an issue in Grand Island.

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy agrees. The 
organization started the "Steer Clear of Pot," campaign in September aimed 
at informing young people of the dangers of driving under the influence. 
The program is nationwide, but Brian Blake, a spokesperson for the ONDCP, 
said it's a battle that needs to be fought on a local and national level.

"For the past year the administration has been trying to educate the public 
about marijuana and driving," he said. "The problem is people have had 
'don't drink and drive' pounded into their heads for 20 years. We need to 
do the same thing with marijuana, from the schoolhouse to the statehouse."

Given some of the statistics on the issue, it appears as if Blake has a 
point. In 2001, 34.7 percent of high school students in Nebraska reported 
using marijuana, with 5.8 percent using it before the age of 13. 
Nationally, 38,000 high school students reported that they crashed while 
driving under the influence of marijuana in 2001.

The culture tells children that a high driver poses little threat, Blake 
said. Getting the contrary message out to youths is an important thing to 
do, given the number using the drug.

"There's definitely a problem out there," Blake said. "Marijuana and 
driving is something we felt wasn't being touched on."

Blake said for more information, parents or youths can go 
to  http://www.TheAntiDrug.com.

Another reason to get the message to every school, DMV and driving 
instructor in the country, Blake said, is that teens are still learning the 
rules of the road most times. Throwing marijuana into the mix usually is 
dangerous.

Hildebrandt said a good number of those pulled over for driving under the 
influence of a drug other than alcohol are youths, and educating them about 
the dangers is never a bad idea. In his experience, youths under the 
influence are usually unaware of the problem driving on a drug presents.

"Most of them, if you ask, will tell you they're high," he said. "They 
shrug their shoulders and ask, 'What's the big deal? It's just pot.'"

That attitude is a big part of the problem, Hildebrandt said. While their 
numbers aren't going through the roof, those driving under the influence of 
marijuana often constitute an accident waiting to happen.

"It's prevalent," he said. "We have goals of educating more officers, but 
educating the public is also good." 
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MAP posted-by: Perry Stripling