Editorial: Bad influence: The wrong remedy for drug-using drivers
The Chicago Tribune articulately explains the problem with so-called "zero tolerance" Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID) laws that require a conviction if there are traces of illegal drugs in a driver's blood or urine, even if the driver has not used drugs recently and is not impaired at the time.
Excerpt:
"If John gets drunk on Monday and, while sober, runs over a pedestrian Wednesday, he will probably only get a traffic ticket. But if Bob has a joint on Thursday and kills someone while speeding on Sunday, he faces serious prison time.
Beer, of course, is legal, while cannabis is not. But there are already penalties on the books for marijuana possession. There are no solid grounds for punishing bad but unimpaired driving differently according to the driver's substance of choice." |
Click here to read the full editorial.
