DRUG LAW IS A BAD FIX

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced his government's intention
to get tough on people driving while under the influence of drugs,
boosting penalties for those who fail drug tests. They may ask the
courts to rely on evidence of impairment from chemical tests that have
not been proven entirely reliable. Such a law's validity is open to
challenge.

Chemical tests can determine what drug has been used, but the science
behind impairment concentrations of a drug is sketchy. Indeed, someone
addicted to heroin can function perfectly normally, but Harper's law
may make him vulnerable to a stiff jail term for shooting up.

Failing a sobriety test and testing positive for a drug may warrant
keeping someone off the road, as is done in Manitoba. Throwing someone
in jail, in the absence of strong evidence a drug has impaired their
driving, may test the tolerance of judges.