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drugs and traffic

Medusa

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Mixing drugs and driving, whether it's marijuana or legally prescribed muscle relaxers, is just as illegal as driving drunk and can also constitute a DUI offense. Doctor's orders are no defense to drugged driving charges.

A 2010 survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that roughly 10 million Americans drove under the influence of illegal drugs in the previous year. More than 18 percent of fatally injured drivers in tested positive for at least one illegal or prescription drug in 2009, according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Another NHTSA survey found that one in five motorists killed in car crashes in 2009 tested positive for drugs.
- See more at: Driving Under the Influence of Drugs - FindLaw
 
Unfortunately we do not - yet - have standards for how much of which drug is deemed to impair the driver. If someone comes up with a standard, like we have for alcohol, and then persuades the powers-that-be of its validity, then maybe we can make some progress.
 
Heck, just make it illegal. That will solve the problem, eh? :lol:
 
Mixing drugs and driving, whether it's marijuana or legally prescribed muscle relaxers, is just as illegal as driving drunk and can also constitute a DUI offense. Doctor's orders are no defense to drugged driving charges.

A 2010 survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that roughly 10 million Americans drove under the influence of illegal drugs in the previous year. More than 18 percent of fatally injured drivers in tested positive for at least one illegal or prescription drug in 2009, according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Another NHTSA survey found that one in five motorists killed in car crashes in 2009 tested positive for drugs.
- See more at: Driving Under the Influence of Drugs - FindLaw
I think it's safe to say most of these are because of alcohol.
 
Mixing drugs and driving, whether it's marijuana or legally prescribed muscle relaxers, is just as illegal as driving drunk and can also constitute a DUI offense. Doctor's orders are no defense to drugged driving charges.

A 2010 survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that roughly 10 million Americans drove under the influence of illegal drugs in the previous year. More than 18 percent of fatally injured drivers in tested positive for at least one illegal or prescription drug in 2009, according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Another NHTSA survey found that one in five motorists killed in car crashes in 2009 tested positive for drugs.
- See more at: Driving Under the Influence of Drugs - FindLaw

That's a relief.

I was afraid all the drivers I see weaving in and out, exiting from the left hand lane, tailgating, speeding in the right lane, poking along in the left, running red lights, and driving in the middle of two lane roads were driving like that while sober.
 
This should be a surprise to no one. When you go to a doctor they ALWAYS offer you some kind of pill. Your toe hurts? No problem, we have a pill for that. Feeling a little down? No problem, take a few of these. You're awake? We have a pill to put you to sleep. You're drowsy? We have pills to keep you awake. Your farts don't smell like strawberries? No problem, just down two blue ones and a yellow one.

It's freaking ridiculous. I've been offered narcotics for the most minor stuff and I hear from others that they get mood altering stuff for absolutely anything. It's a joke.
 
This should be a surprise to no one. When you go to a doctor they ALWAYS offer you some kind of pill. Your toe hurts? No problem, we have a pill for that. Feeling a little down? No problem, take a few of these. You're awake? We have a pill to put you to sleep. You're drowsy? We have pills to keep you awake. Your farts don't smell like strawberries? No problem, just down two blue ones and a yellow one.

It's freaking ridiculous. I've been offered narcotics for the most minor stuff and I hear from others that they get mood altering stuff for absolutely anything. It's a joke.

Absolutely, plus every other commercial is pushing a pill of some sort. Thisstuff is great, keeps you moving, might cure everything from baldness to cancer, but might, just possibly could, cause drowsiness, hair loss, gayness and sudden death. Shouldn't you ask your doctor about thisstuff?

Oh, and my wife wants to know where I can get some of those blue and yellow pills.
 
Mixing drugs and driving, whether it's marijuana or legally prescribed muscle relaxers, is just as illegal as driving drunk and can also constitute a DUI offense. Doctor's orders are no defense to drugged driving charges.

A 2010 survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that roughly 10 million Americans drove under the influence of illegal drugs in the previous year. More than 18 percent of fatally injured drivers in tested positive for at least one illegal or prescription drug in 2009, according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Another NHTSA survey found that one in five motorists killed in car crashes in 2009 tested positive for drugs.
- See more at: Driving Under the Influence of Drugs - FindLaw

Despite being a big supporter of legalized drugs of all sorts, I am also an advocate of strict and harsh punishment for DUI. That is for any drug, not just alcohol. There needs to be a line or good field test that can be used to measure the present effect of drugs on the system. With pot just proving it was present in the past few days does not mean the peron was high at the time. Police do a series of intoxication tests which are designed to evaluate ability impairment. I do totally agree that drugs and the operation of vehicles should not be allowed. If you want to get stoned and drive for fun that is why they made the playstation. Responsible use is enjoying your high without putting others at risk or in danger.
 
This should be a surprise to no one. When you go to a doctor they ALWAYS offer you some kind of pill. Your toe hurts? No problem, we have a pill for that. Feeling a little down? No problem, take a few of these. You're awake? We have a pill to put you to sleep. You're drowsy? We have pills to keep you awake. Your farts don't smell like strawberries? No problem, just down two blue ones and a yellow one.

It's freaking ridiculous. I've been offered narcotics for the most minor stuff and I hear from others that they get mood altering stuff for absolutely anything. It's a joke.

No more running for the shelter of mother's little helper, eh? ;)
 
This should be a surprise to no one. When you go to a doctor they ALWAYS offer you some kind of pill. Your toe hurts? No problem, we have a pill for that. Feeling a little down? No problem, take a few of these. You're awake? We have a pill to put you to sleep. You're drowsy? We have pills to keep you awake. Your farts don't smell like strawberries? No problem, just down two blue ones and a yellow one.

It's freaking ridiculous. I've been offered narcotics for the most minor stuff and I hear from others that they get mood altering stuff for absolutely anything. It's a joke.

There is this interesting thing about drugs many people are unaware of. I found this out the other day at a hotel. You see there was this crack dealer, and all he had was crack so I wasn't interested. He even wanted to give me some for free. Do you know what happened? I said this word called no, and I did not take any. No one came in and forced me to take it. I did not have any shakes or desire to have some. I did not die without it. i never even had any regrets from not taking it. You know what is even more amazing? had there been absolute freedom for me to take it, as there pretty much were no police or prevention people around, I still would not have taken it.

Imagine people with a choice actually chosing not to take drugs without billions of wasted dollars and other crap keeping them from doing something. You can do that too you know. There is no problem with saying no. However, for those who do not wish to say no it is often nice they can get prescriptions at least and do not have to abide by your choices. Oh, and you can have your cane back to go chase the kids off the lawn.
 
There is this interesting thing about drugs many people are unaware of. I found this out the other day at a hotel. You see there was this crack dealer, and all he had was crack so I wasn't interested. He even wanted to give me some for free. Do you know what happened? I said this word called no, and I did not take any. No one came in and forced me to take it. I did not have any shakes or desire to have some. I did not die without it. i never even had any regrets from not taking it. You know what is even more amazing? had there been absolute freedom for me to take it, as there pretty much were no police or prevention people around, I still would not have taken it.

Imagine people with a choice actually chosing not to take drugs without billions of wasted dollars and other crap keeping them from doing something. You can do that too you know. There is no problem with saying no. However, for those who do not wish to say no it is often nice they can get prescriptions at least and do not have to abide by your choices. Oh, and you can have your cane back to go chase the kids off the lawn.

You mean to say you think individuals might make good choices without big daddy government making choices for them? Perish the thought! Next, you'll maintain that big daddy government sometimes makes poor choices as well.
 
You mean to say you think individuals might make good choices without big daddy government making choices for them? Perish the thought! Next, you'll maintain that big daddy government sometimes makes poor choices as well.

I am pretty sure we are perfectly capable of chosing to do things without the government stepping in to tell us. I once heard there was this religion who said god gave people something called free will to be able to do the right thing. I think I might start a new religion which teaches people that even though you have the ability to do something you think is wrong, you are perfectly capable of not doing it even if the guy next to you is doing it. It will probably never catch on, but it is worth a shot.
 
Drivers who tested positive for alcohol only, benzodiazepines only and the combinations of alcohol and THC and alcohol and benzodiazepines were significantly more likely to be culpable for the crash compared with the drug-free group. Conversely, a lower percentage of drivers who only tested positive for THC were culpable for the crash compared with drug-free drivers.

Longo MC, Hunter CE, Lokan RJ, White JM, White MA, "The prevalence of alcohol, cannabinoids, benzodiazepines and stimulants amongst injured drivers and their role in driver culpability: part ii: the relationship between drug prevalence and drug concentration, and driver culpability." Department of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, University of Adelaide, SA, Australia. mlongo@medicine.adelaide.edu.au
 
Longo MC, Hunter CE, Lokan RJ, White JM, White MA, "The prevalence of alcohol, cannabinoids, benzodiazepines and stimulants amongst injured drivers and their role in driver culpability: part ii: the relationship between drug prevalence and drug concentration, and driver culpability." Department of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology, University of Adelaide, SA, Australia. mlongo@medicine.adelaide.edu.au

Couldn't open the link. I'd accept a sentence-or-two summary if you'd offer it.
 
Couldn't open the link. I'd accept a sentence-or-two summary if you'd offer it.

My apologies, the email link must have been snuck in. I didn't post a link because it was the actual research paper that had been emailed to me via pdf. Here is a link to the study.

It is a pdf .
 
My apologies, the email link must have been snuck in. I didn't post a link because it was the actual research paper that had been emailed to me via pdf. Here is a link to the study.

It is a pdf .

"This web page is unavailable" Must be a problem on my end- my internet access is by satellite dish and kind of capricious. I get it that the study says that people under the influence of THC were less likely to cause a crash than drug-free people.
It's surprising, but only mildly so. Pot, while certainly not a performance-enhancing substance, isn't as incapacitating as alcohol or some other drugs.
 
"This web page is unavailable" Must be a problem on my end- my internet access is by satellite dish and kind of capricious. I get it that the study says that people under the influence of THC were less likely to cause a crash than drug-free people.
It's surprising, but only mildly so. Pot, while certainly not a performance-enhancing substance, isn't as incapacitating as alcohol or some other drugs.

Here is an actual source. No pdf The prevalence of alcohol, cannabinoids - PubMed Mobile
 
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