Pubdate: Fri, 30 Sep 2016
Source: Kingston Whig-Standard (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Sun Media
Contact: http://www.thewhig.com/letters
Website: http://www.thewhig.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/224
Author: Steph Crosier
Page: A3

DRUG-IMPAIRED DRIVERS FACE STIFFER PENALTIES

Beginning Sunday, offence will match penalties faced by drunk
drivers

Stiffer penalties for those who choose to drive while under the
influence of drugs will be meted out beginning Sunday.

The Ministry of Transportation announced Wednesday afternoon that the
penalties would match those faced by drivers impaired by alcohol.

"You do see drug use and driving regularly," Sgt. Darren Keuhl of the
Kingston Police's traffic enforcement unit said. "And maybe people are
thinking, 'well, I'm not drinking and driving,' I think that is what
the government is tiring to impress upon drivers that, no, it's as
bad, if not worse than drinking and driving."

The new penalties will include a $180 fine, an immediate licence
suspension of three days for a first occurrence, seven days for a
second occurrence and 30 days for a third and subsequent occurrences
upon failure of a roadside sobriety test. If a drug recognition expert
at a police station determines the driver is impaired, there will be a
90-day driver's licence suspension and their vehicle will be impounded
for seven days.

"The [Ontario Provincial Police's] drug recognition evaluator officers
are highly trained to detect drivers who are impaired by drugs, as are
frontline officers trained to conduct standardized field sobriety
testing," Chief Superintendent Chuck Cox, commander of the Highway
Safety Division, said in a news release. "Through our DRE and SFST
programs, the OPP is as committed as ever to reducing the risk these
drivers pose on Ontario roads."

There are two drug recognition evaluator qualified officers with the
Kingston Police that are on call 24/7. If one of them is not
available, similar OPP officers are also on call and can be utilized
by Kingston Police. The officers' training included two to three weeks
with the OPP and then a trip to a prison in the southern United States
that has a large intake of individuals impaired by substances, said
Keuhl. By the end of the training, the officers are experts and can
testify in court.

If a driver is caught two or more times within 10 years, the penalties
would enforce mandatory education or treatment programs and an
ignition interlock device would be installed in their vehicle.

Keuhl said this is a good announcement for an offence that already
occurs on a regular basis locally.

"A drug is a drug is a drug. Alcohol is a drug, it being more of a
social drug," Keuhl said. "Being a road officer, I've come across
[drug impairment] several times. You can tell, you can smell it in the
vehicle. … I think this is good. I think this gives us one more tool
in our toolbox."

The news release says that, according to the Office of the Chief
Coroner, 39 per cent of drivers killed on Ontario's roads in 2013 had
either drugs or a combination of drugs and alcohol in their system.
Collisions caused by drug-impaired driving are believed to have a
social cost of $612 million the same year.

With these penalties levelling the playing field for alcohol and drug
impairment, it makes it easier for officers to press the appropriate
charges, Keuhl said. Should marijuana become legalized, Keuhl said
only time will tell what will happen.

"I understand that some studies are indicating that [currently] the
number of people on the road that are impaired by drug are actually
surpassing those that are impaired by alcohol," Keuhl said. "So I can
only imagine what the legalization of marijuana may bring. … Who knows?

"I can certainly see it. You can grow marijuana anywhere, or you can
buy alcohol anywhere. It just depends on the person's drug of choice,
and if it is easily accessible, who knows? Do I think we'll have more
impaired drivers on the road by drug? Time will tell, I suppose."
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