Pubdate: Thu, 23 Nov 2006
Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006, BC Newspaper Group
Contact:  http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1563/a09.html
Author: Tim Schewe

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST DRUGGED DRIVERS GOOD

To the Editor,

Re: Drugged driving law unjustified, News Bulletin, Nov. 18.

This letter contains a number of inaccuracies.

Drivers currently driving around stoned on "tranquilizers, 
painkillers, cold medications or some combination thereof" are in 
trouble if caught.

Regardless of the fact they may "blow zero" or have blood and urine 
that tests negative for illegal drugs, they may be convicted of 
impaired driving under the current section 253(a) of the Criminal Code.

Under the proposed legislation, drivers that test positive for trace 
amounts of cannabis alone will not be booked for impaired driving as 
he suggests. The investigating officer will still need physical and 
driving evidence to support the charge of driving while impaired.

If the gentleman had read the proposed legislation, he would find 
that it profiles a driver impaired by any kind of drug, legal or illegal.

This legislation does ignore the other sources of impairment that he 
mentions when you remove over-the-counter and prescription 
medications from his list, because it is aimed at strengthening the 
police powers of investigation around drug impairment.

The other items fall under the jurisdiction of our Motor Vehicle Act 
and the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles, not necessarily the Criminal Code.

What it will do is require a suspected drug impaired driver to 
undergo a mandatory examination by a Drug Recognition Expert. 
Currently this is voluntary and if a driver chooses not to 
participate in gathering evidence to prosecute the offence, they may 
refuse to do so.

This is not arbitrary. It is focused on a significant problem that 
kills and injures many Canadians each year and costs us all 
significant financial loss.

Yes, it is discriminatory in a strict sense, and I welcome 
discrimination against those irresponsible drivers who choose to take 
my life in their hands when they drive while impaired by drugs.

Tim Schewe

Nanoose Bay
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MAP posted-by: Elaine