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Are potheads leading Canada?

Canadians should hang their heads in shame over the performance of their elected officials as well as bureaucrats in the “Department of Justice” rushing to legalize marijuana nationwide in spite of evidence  opposing their efforts.

October 14, 2017, the Department of Justice issued proposed regulations to implement Bill C-46 (See our July 17, 2017 post).  The regulations and their accompanying Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement show a dishonest, deceitful Government, determined to ignore even advice it … READ MORE

Open letter to Gov. Scott

Dear Governor Scott:

You’ve agreed to support legalization of marijuana only after your concerns are properly addressed.  Thank you for that.

I live in Colorado, a state that has legalized marijuana, so I see the effects of legalization and commercialization more than most.  I’m confident that you have been bombarded with “facts” and figures from both sides of the argument in an attempt to sway you.  I will not add to that pile, other than … READ MORE

Sessions vs the States

Attorney General Jeff Sessions in July issued a warning to Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon, citing their frequent violations of the terms of the Ogden memo that sanctioned states’ violation of federal drug laws by legalizing the recreational use of marijuana.   All four governors denied the data presented by Sessions, citing contradictory data to make their point.  Cherry-picking data to support one’s position is a common propaganda tool, one the marijuana lobby has used extensively, … READ MORE

O Canada

Canada plans to legalize the use of recreational marijuana next year, fulfilling a pledge from the elected Liberal government.  The government has also pledged to install laws, technology, training and education to protect Canadians from the effects of drug-impaired drivers.  The law to improve DUI legislation (OWI in Canada) is Bill C-46, scheduled for committee hearings in September, 2017.

Bill C-46 contains several features that will improve OWI management, including the use of Drug Recognition … READ MORE

Vermont’s S.22 misadventure

Vermont’s legislature sent a recreational marijuana legalization bill to Governor Scott May 18, 2017.  Four days later, Scott vetoed the bill, noting concerns with drugged driving and access to marijuana by children.  He nevertheless invited the legislature to work with him to craft a version the bill that he could sign.  The legislature is scheduled to consider overriding the veto in a special session later in June.  The results are uncertain at this time, so … READ MORE

Finally! Solid DUID data!

June 1, 2017 Governor Hickenlooper signed HB17-1315, negotiated and written by DUID Victim Voices founder Ed Wood.  The bill requires Colorado to collect, analyze and annually publish DUI/DUID data from the Colorado’s courts, laboratories and state agencies.  Beginning in March, 2018, when the first report is scheduled to be published, Colorado will have a better understanding of the causes of DUI citations; alcohol, drugs, or combinations of both.  The state will know which drugs … READ MORE

It’s not a contest, folks!

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) updated its 2017 drugged driving report that has garnered an immense amount of press.  

Many in the media understood the report to say that drugged driving has surpassed drunk driving, although that was not the report’s conclusion.  Data were reported based upon NHTSA’s FARS reports which in turn are primarily based on coroner’s testing of drug and alcohol content of drivers killed in fatal crashes.  The GHSA report … READ MORE

Our Data Bill Is About To Become Law

Colorado’s legislature passed House Bill 1315 on May 10th, its last day before adjourning for the year. The bill directs the Department of Public Safety’s Office of Research and Statistics to collect, analyze and publish DUI data to advise policy makers on the causes and results of DUI in Colorado. Like many states, Colorado has a single citation for DUI irrespective of cause; alcohol, drugs, or a combination of alcohol and drugs. Therefore, current state … READ MORE

Opposing the mainstream

Thanks to the efforts of DUID Victim Voices supporter Stephie Mager, Nevada has a DUID per se law that establishes legal limits for several drugs including methamphetamine, amphetamine, cocaine, heroin, LSD, marijuana, and phencyclidine (Angel Dust).  The blood THC limit is 2 ng/ml, very close to the limits of quantification of most forensic toxicology laboratories.  

Perhaps due to Nevada’s recent move to legalize marijuana, the Reno Gazette Journal published an editorial April 10, … READ MORE

Don’t Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol; It’s Not Like Alcohol

Monday, April 3, 2017 the Santa Fe New Mexican published Don’t regulate marijuana like alcohol, an op-ed co-authored with Barry Logan, PhD, and Stephen Talpins, JD.  The thrust of the op-ed is that, since marijuana is unlike alcohol chemically and metabolically, an impairment-based per se limit like we have for alcohol just doesn’t work for marijuana’s THC.  There is no scientific support for any THC per se limit.  In particular, the 5 ng/ml THC … READ MORE