DRIVING HIGH AT ISSUE WITH MARIJUANA LAW

A state lawmaker said Tuesday that medical patients who are registered
to use marijuana should be stripped of the privilege if they are
caught driving high.

Sen. Verdell Jackson, R-Kalispell, said drivers become impaired after
taking marijuana, and he wants to create a harsh penalty to make sure
it doesn't happen.

Opponents of the bill, and supporters of the medical marijuana law,
said there is no accurate test for marijuana impairment.

They argued in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that the drug THC
stays in the system for days after marijuana use -- so people not
suffering any impairment could be penalized.

I have not heard of any allegation, even, of a registered Montana
patient driving under the influence," said Tom Daubert of Helena,
director of Patients and Families United.

Voters approved the state's medical marijuana law in 2004. It allows
those who receive a prescription from a doctor to possess a limited
amount of marijuana for personal use. The state registry has reported
more than 1,000 patients are signed up for medical marijuana usage.

The bill would authorized traffic officers to get blood tests for drug
usage of medical marijuana card holders and to strip patients of their
medical marijuana card if they refuse the test.

Opponents of the initiative also argued Tuesday that it is unfair to
strip patients of their medicine if they are caught while using,
instead of just stripping driving privileges.