THERE OUGHTA BE LAWS ON DRIVING DRUGGED

In New Mexico, the magic number that tells the legal system for sure
that you've had too much booze to drive is a blood-alcohol level of
.08 percent. But there's no magic number for too much heroin, cocaine,
methamphetamine, marijuana - or any other illegal drug, for that matter.

So drive with illegal drugs in your system, maybe shoot up heroin and
kill a guy changing his tire on the side of the road, and you walk.

State Rep. Bill Rehm, R-Albuquerque, spent more than 20 years in
county and city law enforcement. He watched suspects who tested
positive for illegal drugs avoid prosecution. And while he tried to
get them behind bars and off the road, he routinely ran up against the
lack of a magic number when it came to drug intoxication.

He's tried to change that since taking office in 2006; 2009 may be his
magic number.

A report shows that in 2007, 92 percent of New Mexico drivers who
submitted to a blood test after an accident tested positive for a
controlled substance. That's focused attention on closing this
dangerous legal loophole. Gov. Bill Richardson's DWI adviser, Rachel
O'Connor, says the governor plans to introduce a "drugged driving"
bill adding a presumptive level of intoxication for narcotics. Rehm is
working with the administration and says it will likely be based on
Nevada legislation and, like his previous bills, target only illegal
drugs.

Once adopted, the benchmarks should be used administratively as well
as criminally. The state Motor Vehicle Division suspends a driver's
license for six months if they are arrested on a DWI charge and
register a blood-alcohol content of .08 percent or higher. The same
should go for drivers who register at or above a presumed level of
intoxication for an illegal drug.

When you're behind the wheel of a two-ton killing machine, wasted is
wasted, whether it's on Seven and Seven or smack. And New Mexico has
wasted enough time not getting these drivers off the road.