TORIES PLAN CRACKDOWN ON DRUGGED DRIVING

Conservative MP Mark Warawa announced yesterday the federal
government's plan to create tougher legislation helping police crack
down on drivers stoned on marijuana.

Warawa made the announcement from the RCMP station in his Langley
riding but stopped short of saying how exactly police officers will
be able to confirm the driver's impairment is caused by marijuana.

"It's very difficult. What we call an accident directly involves a
choice, a choice in each case that is a dangerous choice and a wrong
choice - to drive while you're impaired," Warawa said. "The
government of Canada takes this issue very seriously and we're
examining all legislative options to deal with this important issue."

Helen Featherson couldn't agree more with the proposed legislation
after her 16-year-old son Simon was killed after unknowingly getting
into a car with a stoned driver who he had just met.

"What a terrible irony it was that Simon would be killed at the age
of 16 by being invited into a car driven by someone who was a heavy
drug user, someone with a very different attitude towards life,"
Featherson said.

The new legislation falls in line with the Conservative governments
plan to crack down on drug use and crime.