Pubdate: Mon, 09 Nov 2015
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2015 Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact: http://www.edmontonsun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.edmontonsun.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Chris Doucette
Page: 4
Referenced: RMHIDTA report: http://mapinc.org/url/y1FgR5eQ

GRASS ISN'T ALWAYS GREENER

When it comes to legalizing marijuana, Colorado has been blazing a 
trail for other jurisdictions to follow since 2012.

But Tom Gordon, director of the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug 
Trafficking Area (RMHIDTA) program, tells the Toronto Sun his federal 
government program has been studying the impact legalizing pot has 
had on the state and the results so far appear "pretty grim."

Question: The RMHIDTA report released in September, "the legalization 
of marijuana in Colorado: the impact," found marijuana use has 
essentially doubled among adults and youths, 12 to 17, since Colorado 
legalized the recreational use and sale of the drug. Did this surprise you?

Answer: "If you legalize something and make it readily available, 
more people are going to use it. And any time you have an increased 
use of any intoxicant, there is going to be an impact on society. 
That's only logical."

Q: Is it possible the RMHIDTA study, which found marijuana-related 
traffic deaths increased 92% from 2010 to 2014, is skewed because 
your program is run by the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy?

A: "These aren't our numbers. We collected the data (from law 
enforcement, hospitals, Coroner's offices and other agencies) and examined it."

Q: Is it challenging for police to nab drivers who are impaired by marijuana?

A: "Yes because currently there's no roadside test for marijuana. If 
officers suspect a driver is impaired by drugs, they must ask for a 
drug recognition expert to come to the scene. The next step would be 
to conduct a blood test, but that can only be done if the motorist 
agrees to it."

Q: What about motorists who are impaired by both drugs and alcohol?

A: "If the officer suspects a motorist has been drinking, a roadside 
breath test is administered. If the driver blows over, a charge of 
driving under the influence is laid. They don't bother pursuing drug 
testing because it's the same charge. But that means many 
drug-impaired drivers go unreported, so the numbers are even higher 
than we know."

Q: How challenging is it to convict drug-impaired drivers?

A: "It's absolutely difficult. Drug-impaired drivers often get off 
after testing several times over the legal limit (5 nanograms of THC 
per millilitre of blood). They have argued they weren't impaired 
because they use marijuana every day for medicinal reasons and don't 
get high. Strangely, juries buy this story even though it's not logical."

Q: Drivers can be charged for having opened liquor in their vehicle. 
How does it work with pot?

A: "You can have marijuana in your car, up to an ounce per occupant. 
But you can't smoke it in your car because that's considered a public 
place and it's illegal to smoke it in public. You may get a citation 
and have to pay a fine."

Q: Have drug dealers vanished from the streets since pot was legalized?

A: "The idea was to eliminate the black market but we have become the 
black market. Anyone over 21 can grow 6 plants and harvest three 
times a year legally. People often grow more claiming it's for 
(friends), so it's a great place to go if you want to make money 
growing marijuana. Some dealers have been able to raise their price 
and still undercut retailers."

Q: With hundreds of shops, private citizens and street dealers 
selling marijuana, isn't the supply far greater than the demand?

A: "There are now more medical marijuana centres (198) in Denver than 
pharmacies (117). I'm told you can smell the stuff walking down the 
street. A lot of the marijuana is sold illegally in neighbouring 
states where people can charge more."

Q: Do you think our new PM Justin Trudeau, who has three kids under 
10, might be less eager to legalize pot once he has parented teenagers?

A: "Quite likely. The hardest thing I deal with is parents whose kids 
are on drugs and end up in trouble with the law or dropping out of 
school. You really feel for them."

Q: Should Canadians be worried?

A: "I absolutely think Canadians should be concerned. You have a 
great country, so many things to be proud of. Why do something that 
could have a negative impact on your kids, your cities and towns."

Q: What advice would you offer Canada on legalization?

A: "Don't go down this road until all the data is in because once the 
door is opened it's hard to shut. Use Colorado as your lab rat. Wait 
to see what happens with this experiment your neighbours to the south 
are conducting and then decide."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom