HTTP/1.0 200 OK
Content-Type: text/html
Toking And Driving A Lethal Combination
Pubdate: Tue, 06 Sep 2005
Source: Intelligencer, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2005, Osprey Media Group Inc.
Contact: http://www.intelligencer.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2332
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?224 (Cannabis and Driving)
TOKING AND DRIVING A LETHAL COMBINATION
"Drugs like marijuana are popular with students, and there is a myth
out there that it is all right to toke and drive. It isn't.
Drug impairment is as dangerous as if you're drinking alcohol."
That's the back-to-school message from MADD Canada.
The organization best known for its sterling work in convincing
motorists of the dangers of drinking and driving is expanding its
mandate to include drug impaired driving.
"As students start back to school, and colleges and universities
begin their frosh weeks, we want to urge young Canadians that if
they're drinking or taking drugs at their parties, don't drive,"
said Karen Dunham, national president of MADD.
Andrew Murie, MADD CanadaA's CEO said the organization has become more
involved with drugs and driving out of necessity.
"The trends show that drug impaired driving is a growing concern.
MADD Canada wants the public to know the risks and what can be done to
combat drug impaired driving. We also want to help the police with
this new challenge and ensure the judiciary understands the disturbing
impaired driving trends."
Using the slogan, If you're high, you can't drive", MADD Canada has
launched its anti-drugs and driving campaign at Canadian colleges and
universities with media releases and on-line materials (at
http://www.madd.ca) dedicated to its awareness effort.
This fall it plans to release new public service announcements focused
on drug impaired driving. "If youA're high, you can't drive" will
speak directly to young people and debunk general misconceptions about
drugs and driving.
MADD has been working with various police organizations across the
country in their efforts to raise awareness of this problem.
This partnership with national police groups, has already resulted in
the release of a classroom video, "Not Ready To Go" which features a
horrifying drug-related crash that took the lives of five teenaged
students from Kanata.
It has also resulted in some heavy duty lobbying for Ottawa to pass
new drug impaired driving legislation. Something MADD hopes will
happen this fall.
We wish MADD, and the various police organizations involved, every
success in this worthwhile campaign for, as Murie observed, "It is
essential that young Canadians understand drug impairment and driving
donA't mix."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin