DRUGS MAY IMPAIR DRIVING, TOO

Combining Alcohol With Drugs May Change The Level Of Impairment
Rapidly, Police Drug Recognition Expert Says

Impaired driving is synonymous with alcohol, but police warn drugs,
including some prescription medication, could affect your ability to
operate a vehicle safely.

"Close to 60 per cent of our population is on meds," said Const.
Sylvie Guay, a drug recognition expert with Toronto Police. "It's a
huge issue. .. The more the population goes on taking these
prescription drugs and non-prescription drugs and driving, the more we
have problems."

Guay said drugs was the main factor in a "catastrophic crash" that
killed several teens near Ottawa six years ago. "They had been smoking
marijuana," the constable said. "Drugs was the factor. It wasn't an
alcohol-related crash."

Guay said medication for the common cold combined with a bit of
alcohol can also make people impaired.

"They don't realize that once they combine alcohol into the equation,
the level of impairment can change very rapidly," she said, noting
people should follow the guidelines on cautionary labels on
prescription drugs. "If in doubt, err on the side of caution and don't
drive."

Guay is one of a handful of drug experts who are out on RIDE spot
checks in the city this year.

"It's impairment that we're concerned with. It's not the fact that
somebody is taking Valium. It's not the fact that someone is on Prozac
that's an issue. It's the fact that they're driving a motor vehicle
while their ability to do so is impaired," she said. "It's no better
for someone to be impaired by drug, whether prescription or
non-prescription, than it is for someone to be impaired by alcohol."

There will soon be more drug recognition experts on Toronto's Police
force.

Guay said several officers are "going through the process" of getting
that status.