COPS NOW HAVE A LEG UP ON TOKERS

It may seem old school to make a driver stand on one leg for a
roadside sobriety test, but that's one of the best available methods
police have for determining whether or not someone is toking and driving.

Police believe the number of stoned drivers is increasing but their
efforts to deal with the problem have been hampered by a lack of
roadside tools.

But there may be an effective solution. Unable to use breathalyzers,
cops are now counting on training. Officers across Canada are
graduating as drug-recognition experts who are able to detect those
impaired by drugs with a series of tests. A trained officer has
several tests for drivers to determine impairment:

- - A multiple-stage visual examination of specific movements.

- - A pupil test that examines a driver's pupil size in four light
levels.

- - Testing for muscle tone by lifting arms.

- - An attention test in which officers make motorists stand on one leg
and balance.

"It's been an effective method and has worked quite well," said Insp.
Kash Heed, in British Columbia, where the first Canadian officers were
trained.

There have been several convictions of impaired driving in Vancouver
based on evidence from these officers.

There are now three cops in Toronto with the new drug training but
Ontario must pass legislation to allow courts here to accept evidence
from these officers.