COPS COLLAR HUNDREDS OF STONED MOTORISTS THIS YEAR

Majority Of Suspensions Involve Marijuana And Cocaine

More than 240 motorists in the city were given 24-hour roadside suspensions
this year for suspicion of driving a vehicle while under the influence of
drugs.

The majority of the 247 suspensions issued between Jan.1 and July 28
involved marijuana and cocaine followed by anti-depressant drugs, according
to Const. Jeff Schwenneker of the Vancouver Police Department. "If you do
drugs on your own, you're hurting yourself," said Schwenneker, who is the
coordinator of a 10-officer team trained in detecting drug-impaired
drivers. "But when you drive, you have the risk of hurting the public."

In the late 1990s, Schwenneker attended two accidents-one on Fraser Street,
one on Beatty Street-where drivers of both vehicles were killed. Toxicology
tests confirmed cocaine in their systems.

"From what I've seen, people under the influence of cocaine think they're
fine and think it's a performance enhancer," he said.

So far this year, police are pursuing impaired driving charges for drugs in
six cases. About a dozen motorists were charged last year after police
issued a total of 428 roadside suspensions for drugs.

The latest suspension occurred July 23 after police stopped a 28-year-old
man in a pickup truck in the 200-block of East Hastings. He showed signs of
impairment and police say they found cocaine in the truck.

Police give a roadside sobriety test to drivers suspected of drug use. If
there is evidence of impairment, the driver is taken to the police station
for further testing, including blood pressure, measuring pupil size and
providing a bodily fluid for analysis.

"Some of the worst behaviour I've seen is when you try to get the undivided
attention of someone under the influence of marijuana," Schwenneker said.
"They have short term memory loss. You tell them to take nine steps down a
line, turn around and take nine steps back. I had one guy go to 33 steps."

The suspensions and charges for drug use are considerably lower than the
4,462 roadside suspensions issued last year for alcohol. This year, police
have issued 2,029 suspensions for alcohol.

But the reason for the disparity isn't so much that drinking alcohol and
driving is more prevalent than taking drugs and driving, Schwenneker said.

"Often people combine drugs and alcohol, so you go with what you can
prove," he said, noting breathalyzer tests immediately show the amount of
alcohol in a motorist's system.

For the last 10 years, the VPD has participated in a study led by
researchers from the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse that looks at drug
and alcohol use among drivers. The survey was released last year and
concluded fewer people drive after drinking, but more people are driving
after taking drugs.

Of 1,533 drivers randomly stopped in Vancouver, Saanich and Abbotsford, 89
per cent provided a breath sample and 78 per cent provided a sample of oral
fluid.

Findings included:

- - 10.4 per cent of drivers tested positive for drug use.

- - 8.1 per cent of drivers had been drinking.

- - 15.5 per cent of drivers tested positive for alcohol, drugs or both.

- - Marijuana and cocaine were the drugs most frequently detected in drivers.

- - Alcohol use among drivers was most common on weekends and during late
night hours; drug use was more evenly distributed across all survey nights
and times in June 2008.

- - Alcohol use was most common among drivers aged 19 to 24 and 25 to 34;
drug use was more evenly distributed across all age groups.