DRUGGED-DRIVING LAWS WILL PENALIZE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T HIGH

Regarding "Lawmakers Aiming for Zero Tolerance of Pot Smoking" (The
NEWS, May 5): If a person is found guilty under the Drug Impaired
Driving Enforcement Act, then shouldn't that person have committed
that crime?

Traces of marijuana metabolites can be found in a person's body weeks
after he or she used marijuana. Its consumers can be charged with
driving impaired, under the influence of drugs, with an intoxication
level of zero and while not impaired or endangering anyone in any way.
A person who has come in contact with second-hand smoke may also test
positive and be charged with a crime they didn't commit. Impaired
driving is a very serious offense. If a person is convicted of this
crime, then they should be guilty of this crime.

The bill acknowledges that the technology for identifying illegal
drugs in the body is inadequate and authorizes federal grants to
develop it. While the intentions of this bill may be good, it is a bad
idea to start charging people with a crime using inadequate technology
and worse to convict a person of a crime who is by no means guilty as
charged.

I also find it disturbing that our federal legislators are adding
provisions to their proposed bills that either financially enhance
states that support them and/or punish states that don't.

Sandy Cote, co-founder

Ohio Marijuana Party Political Action Committee

U.S. Marijuana Party, National Outreach Coordinator

Toledo