POLICE PLAN SPECIAL DUI ENFORCEMENT FOR SO-CALLED '420' HOLIDAY

Area police will be out in force today looking for those driving
under the influence on what has become a holiday for drug users.

Kansas City police are coordinating with other police departments to
saturate the streets looking for those who might be driving under the
influence of marijuana. Officers will pay special attention to areas
near schools.

"People need to recognize that a DUI is not just from alcohol," Sgt.
Daniel Graves with Kansas City Police Department's Traffic
Investigation Unit said in a release. The day of April 20, known as
"420", has become a day of widespread marijuana use, Graves said.

Graves is hoping the special enforcement will help educate parents
about the meaning of "420" and the culture surrounding it.

Last year, Kansas City police arrested 70 people for driving under
the influence in cases that involved marijuana or other drug use.
That number does not include those who were both drunk and high or
those who refused a breath test.

So far this year, there has been five fatality crashes in Kansas City
in which drug use was involved.

Jackson, Platte and Clay counties reported 9 people were killed and
40 people suffered disabling injuries in 2007 and 2008 in crashes
where a driver was impaired by drugs, including marijuana.