'Dope smokers are bad drivers'

2005-11-22 07:47

Ottawa - Growing marijuana use is sparking fears of havoc on the roads in Canada and prompted the launch on Monday of an official campaign to persuade people not to smoke and drive.

The advertising campaign, one of the first in the world, comes as Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberal government considers decriminalising possession of small amounts of pot in Canada.

Under a proposed bill, opposed by police who already feel helpless to stop dopey drivers, stymied by a lack of technological tools to spot them, possession of 15 grams or less of cannabis would be punishable by a fine.

The advertising blitz is financed by Health Canada and launched by the non-profit Canadian Public Health Association.

Hard to spot a stoned driver

It shows two pilots in a cockpit smoking pot with the tag line: "If it doesn't make sense here, why does it make sense when you drive?"

It aims to reverse a growing trend, particularly among the young, to drive while under the influence of marijuana, officials said.

Researchers found that bygone anti-drunk driving campaigns and stepped-up road patrols helped cut the number of alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes in Canada, but accidents related to driving while under the influence of marijuana are climbing.

According to the most recent addiction survey by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, 44.5% of Canadians 15 years and older have used marijuana in their lifetime. Fourteen percent smoked pot in the past year, double the number more than a decade ago.

About four percent of people reported smoking pot and driving, or 10% among Canadians 16 to 29-years-old and were four times more likely to get into an accident.

"The rate of driving under the influence of pot now rivals or exceeds the rate of driving under the influence of alcohol among young drivers and passengers," said researcher Christiane Poulin, noting that marijuana use is growing worldwide.

While most young drivers and passengers have little tolerance for alcohol-impaired driving, they commonly regard pot as "a benign, mainstream drug with no significant negative consequences" and driving under its influence as risk free, Poulin said.

"The impression is that cannabis does not affect driving skills," said Sylvia Fanjoi of the Canadian Public Health Association. "We found that 'designated drivers' often smoked-up instead of drinking."

In fact, cannabis impairs driving skills most severely during what is known as the acute phase, which typically lasts for up to 60 minutes after smoking, experts say.

While most Canadians fear stiff penalties for being caught drunk behind the wheel, few fear prosecution for driving while under the influence of drugs, Fanjoi said.

"It's difficult to spot a driver under the influence of marijuana because there are no tools to help us like breathalyzers for alcohol," said Mike Niebudek, director of the Canadian Professional Police Association. "We have to rely on visual cues, look for odd behaviour, smell."

- AFP