Pubdate: Thu, 16 Nov 2006
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: George Kosinski
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?224 (Cannabis and Driving)

MARIJUANA DRIVING DANGERS HIGHLY OVERRATED

It appears that MADD has indeed gone mad by abandoning its original 
mandate to reduce dangerous driving in favour of becoming an active 
collaborator in the so-called "war on drugs."

Mothers Against Drunk Driving supports the federal government's plan 
to toughen penalties for drugged driving and to give police wider 
drug-testing powers.

Regardless of anyone's opinion on the acceptability of marijuana use, 
the cold reality is that encouraging chronic drunk drivers to abandon 
alcohol in favour of marijuana as their recreational drug of choice 
would dramatically reduce impaired-driving accidents and fatalities.

Another cold reality is that far more accidents are caused by 
prescription drugs, cellphones and fatigue than will ever be caused 
by driving under the influence of marijuana.

Instead of increasing the invasion of citizens' bodies by the state, 
simply prohibiting the use of cellphones in moving vehicles, for 
example, would be far more effective in reducing vehicular accidents, 
without weakening our democracy.

George Kosinski,

Gibsons
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