POLICE WONDER ABOUT TESTING METHODS

As Feds Plan Legislation On Drug-Impaired Drivers

KAWARTHA LAKES - Proposed legislation targeting stoned drivers is
welcome with open arms locally, though police are wondering about how
they would enforce it.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Friday the legislation would
let police officers demand capability tests when they suspect a person
is under the influence of drugs, and make it illegal to refuse giving
a body fluid sample.

"I think it's great news," said Leighanne Quibell of the Kawartha
Lakes chapter of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), which has long
lobbied for such change.

"It's becoming more and more of a problem, especially with younger
drivers."

The proposed law would also focus on spreading the message that
drug-impaired driving is not acceptable with partners such as MADD.
It's an all-important message that Quibell said needs to be
continually reinforced.

In area schools, Quibell said she had heard youth say they felt is was
OK to drive because they had been using drugs and not drinking alcohol.

"You are just as impaired by drugs as you are by alcohol," she said.
"People need to be aware it is an issue and a problem."

Details of the legislation have yet to be cemented but regardless, the
law would be a step in the right direction, Quibell said. Similar
legislation has come forward before but never made it to fruition
because of change in government.

The forthcoming changes are something that "needs to be done," said
Insp. Bob Walli, detachment commander for City of Kawartha lakes OPP.

He said drug-impaired driving has long been an issue for the
detachment, which polices the balance of the Kawartha Lakes outside of
Lindsay and Ops, as well as provincial highways 35, 7 and 7A.

"They are just as dangerous as an alcohol-impaired driver," he said of
those behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs such as marijuana.

His biggest question is what testing method would be created for
police to use to determine the level of drug impairment.

"I'm hoping there are some technical solutions which are as relatively
simple as alcohol-related testing," Walli said, explaining how that
would help officers in implementation.

"It's one of those wait and sees," he said.

The new testing would also have to be something which would be
accepted by the judicial system, and could take time to put in place,
the inspector added.

"It is (dependent) on our ability to articulate in court that someone
is impaired by drugs," he said, calling such cases a "very small
number" when it comes to statistics.

The exact number of drug-impaired drivers is impossible to determine,
however, because they are lumped together with alcohol-impaired
drivers under current legislation and the charge of impaired driving,
Walli noted.

The changes would definitely be a "step forward," said City of
Kawartha Lakes Police Service Chief John Hagarty. He echoed Walli's
comments that the biggest question is exactly what tools would given
to police.

"It is a real challenge from an enforcement perspective . . . It will
be interesting to see what the tools are," he said.

Drug-impaired driving is an issue which must be addressed, Hagarty
said, adding it must be done in the "least invasive" way possible for
citizens. The answer could be implementing the right kind of training.

"We want to protect the rights of individuals as much as possible," he
said.