HIGHER PURPOSE TO DUI TRIAL

In what's likely a precedent-setting case in Canada, a former local lawyer
who's allowed to smoke marijuana for medicinal reasons will fight an
impaired driving charge in court.

Rick Reimer of Wilno, Ont., was smoking a joint when he was pulled over by
Killaloe OPP Feb. 11 for crossing the median line while driving to
Pembroke. His trial begins tomorrow.

"To suggest my ability to drive is impaired by marijuana is absolutely
silly," said Reimer, who suffers from multiple sclerosis.

He said he smokes from morning to night to ease his symptoms and doesn't
get "high" like occasional users.

He will defend himself at trial and intends to call witnesses to attest to
his toking-and-driving ability.

Studies have shown driving stoned can actually reduce the chance of an
accident, he said, because drivers tend to overcompensate for any
impairment of faculties with caution.

Reimer is critical of the federal government, which has failed to craft a
policy or adequate measure of impairment. Now it's reached a critical point
because Canada is poised to decriminalize pot, he said. "We've got to face
up to the government's neglect of this issue for the last 30 years," he said.

Mac Lindsay, an Ottawa Crown attorney who's prosecuting the case, declined
to discuss details before the trial begins. But his survey of case law has
turned up only one conviction for impairment from marijuana.