Pubdate: Wed, 14 Feb 2007
Source: Daily Vidette (IL Edu)
Copyright: 2007 Daily Vidette
Contact:  http://www.dailyvidette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/666
Author: Autumn McReynolds
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?219 (Students for Sensible Drug Policy)

PROPOSED BILL AIMS TO DIRECT YOUNG DRIVERS AWAY FROM DRUGS

As proposed by state Rep. Roger Eddy, House Bill 262 states that an 
applicant for an instruction permit who is under the age of 18 must 
undergo testing for controlled substances and cannabis and must be 
found to be free of controlled substances and cannabis before he or 
she may receive an instruction permit. If the proposal makes it 
through legislation, Eddy said he believes it will help sway young 
drivers away from drug usage.

"I think this will give them a good, acceptable reason to say no is 
in situations where there is peer pressure. Maybe they are 14 or 
15-years-old when they are working to get their permit and they can 
be in social situations where peer pressure is a real force. For them 
to be able to say, 'I'm taking my drivers test in a week,' maybe that 
was the one time they needed," he said.

"This is especially true with meth. It is highly addictive and once 
or twice using it could get you addicted. If they can stay away from 
it for that one time, it would be a good deterrent."

Another thing Eddy said the proposal was intended to enforce was that 
driving is a privilege.

"There is no better time for drivers to learn that than when they are 
getting their permit," he said.

When the bill was originally introduced, some had a problem with the 
100 percent assumption of guilt, so the drug testing would be random.

"That was not the intent to assume that everyone is guilty, but if 
that is something they are concerned about, let's do it randomly. 
Let's find a random percentage that is reflective of what drug usage 
might be in that age group," Eddy said.

While Eddy is hoping the bill will pass, others disapprove.

Pete Guither, a faculty advisor for Students for Sensible Drug Policy 
at ISU, does not believe that the bill will be effective.

"I think it is ridiculous, silly, inappropriate and ineffective. 
Here's the issue. Really what you need to be dealing with when it 
comes to driving is impaired driving. Drug testing at the time of 
permit or license has absolutely nothing to do with that. What it 
does is simply go out of its way to target young people who have used 
marijuana, regardless if it has anything to do with their driving," 
Guither said.

"The drug test would probably be very specifically targeted at 
marijuana because its metabolites can stay in the system for days, so 
that is what can be tested. It would be silly to say, 'We're going to 
test people that have had a drink of wine two days ago. That is a 
reason for them not to be drivers.'"

Kirk Ijams, assistant chief of Support Services at the Normal Police 
Department, said although he does not know a lot about the bill, he 
does not believe it would be very effective if it were only given 
once and at random.

"People could start a habit after they get their license and could be 
in danger. Also, if you're giving a test, test everybody and treat 
everybody fairly," Ijams said. "It might catch a few but it probably 
won't be as effective as if they tested every time a person got 
renewed or something like that."

"Maybe we should do it more than once, maybe we should do it with 
everybody, I don't know. I think we should be a lot more concerned 
with the people driving, not under the influence of alcohol, but 
under the influence of narcotics," Eddy said.

According to Guither, every study done has shown that alcohol is the 
more dangerous factor when it comes to road safety.

"It is not even a close consideration with marijuana, which is 
somewhat in the same area as cell phone usage and being tired," he 
said. "It's really just a way for Congress to act tough. It is just 
not constitutionally a good idea."                               
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman