CRITIC OF DRUGGED-DRIVING LAW FORGETS THAT SMOKING POT REMAINS ILLEGAL

This letter is in response to the March 7 Reader's Forum article
"Drugged-Driving Legislation a Misleading and Unfair Tactic to Go
After Ohio Pot Users."

The argument made in Mr. Armentano's opinion piece is well thought out
and clearly stated; however, he missed one major point. Unless I have
been under a rock for the past few years, I'm fairly sure marijuana is
still a controlled substance, and unless I'm mistaken again, that
means it's illegal to use, possess or distribute. Ergo, it shouldn't
matter how long it stays in your system or if it produces metabolites
that stay in your urine for days; it's still illegal to use.

Mr. Armentano's argument also does not look at any of the other
changes that House Bill 8 makes to other areas of the Ohio Revised
Code. The main changes in the ORC the bill focuses on are adding
"harder" drugs and their specified amounts in the blood and urine. The
entire changes to include marijuana make up roughly two sentences,
while there are whole paragraphs on the others. Should we throw the
baby out with the bath water just to make a point? Also for
consideration is that you aren't going to be pulled over and made to
pee in a cup because you took a hit from a joint last week. If you are
being arrested and have blood drawn, odds are good that you did
something else that warrants that much attention.

In summation, if you want to smoke pot, go talk to your congressman
and make it legal; otherwise, grab a glass of wine and take solace in
knowing you aren't breaking the law.

Steven Mette

Athens