Pubdate: Fri, 22 Jul 2005
Source: Daily Astorian, The (OR)
Copyright: 2005 The Daily Astorian
Contact:  http://www.dailyastorian.info/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1629
Author: Connie Fery
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?224 (Cannabis and Driving)

JUMPING THE GUN

I just read the article by Laurel Eddy regarding the accident on the new 
Young's Bay Bridge. "That somebody didn't get hurt or killed is 
phenomenal," The Daily Astorian, July 12)

As an epileptic, I am outraged that the police put themselves in the place 
of medical doctors in assuming the driver of the truck that caused the 
accident was high on marijuana, which can stay in the system for a month, 
unlike other drugs.

In the condition the driver was in, how could a drug test be performed at 
the scene?

According to the article, when the officer first saw the driver, he was 
lying on the seat of the vehicle unconscious. In "disgust," the officer 
said "he's in another zone."

Add to the mix the motorcyclist said "He was jerking as much as 12 inches 
from side to side before he collapsed on the front seat." "He looked like 
he was having a seizure, foaming at the mouth," said the eyewitness.

The individual should have been transported to the hospital for a complete 
work up and then off to jail for the small amount of marijuana on his person.

Another medical fact. Medical marijuana is prescribed by medical doctors 
for some individuals with seizure disorders. It does not cause the symptoms 
described above, it eases them in some cases.

Get the facts first. I feel sorry for the driver who caused the accident 
and all involved. If it was epilepsy or another seizure disease, it could 
have been his first seizure, for all we know.

But, he landed in jail rather than in the hospital, so he can have another 
episode and another and so on. He could always go to jail later when all 
the facts are in. Straight from the hospital if need be.

When my mom was a psychiatric nurse in the 1940s, they put people with 
seizures in a straight jacket. If it was a seizure, how far away from that 
mentality are we now?

CONNIE FERY

Astoria
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