Pubdate: Thu, 30 Nov 2017
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2017 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.torontosun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://torontosun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Chris Doucette
Page: 3

HIGH TIME TO STOP DRIVING IMPAIRED

Far too many young people still think driving while under the
influence of drugs is somehow less risky than drinking and driving.

So R.I.D.E. Checks - an organization that works with cops to promote
road safety - has teamed up with the licensed marijuana producer
Beleave Inc. to launch a campaign called, Consequence Strains, to
spell out the dangers of driving high.

"There still seems to be a common misconception where it's not as bad
as having a few drinks and getting behind the wheel. People say, 'Oh,
I can focus more,'" Dr. Roger Ferreira, Beleave's chief science
officer, said Wednesday at Humber College's Lakeshore campus where
police from services across the province gathered to kick off this
year's RIDE program.

"But if you have to consciously make the effort to focus more, what
does that tell you about your baseline cognitive function?" Ferreira
asked.

A video unveiled with the campaign highlights the fact nearly half the
1,000 deaths from impaired driving crashes on provincially-policed
roads since 2002 have been innocent victims.

Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said the OPP conducted about 23,000 RIDE spot
checks so far this year and will stop 7,000 or so more vehicles during
the next six-weeks.
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MAP posted-by: Matt