ROADSIDE DRUG TESTS

Driving while impaired by drugs is already an offence under the Criminal Code, just as it is to drive while drunk.  It carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment when it causes the death of another person.

But there is no quick drug-test equivalent to a roadside breathalyzer, a tool that has been a boon in getting drinkers off the road.

Currently, police must rely on observation of driving behaviour and symptoms of impairment, as well as witness testimony, when investigating whether a motorist is under the influence of marijuana or other substances, including over-the-counter, prescription or illegal drugs.

They lack the authority to demand physical tests and bodily fluid samples so they can detect and deter drivers who are stoned.

In a welcome move, Ottawa wants to change this.  Justice Minister Irwin Cotler this week introduced a bill that would allow police to conduct roadside tests and demand saliva, urine or blood samples if drivers fail.  Refusing to take the test would be a criminal offence.

Police in Quebec, British Columbia and Manitoba already use a method known as Drug Recognition Expert testing, but only when the driver participates voluntarily.

It makes eminent sense to expand this program across the country and to give police the same powers to demand drug tests that they are allowed for sobriety tests.  Justice officials cannot overlook the effect that decriminalizing possession of small amounts of pot might have.

A survey by Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health found that 3 per cent of adult motorists already report having driven a vehicle within an hour of using cannabis, a figure that doubles to 6 per cent among 18- to 34-year-olds.

Also, over-the-counter and prescription medication can have side effects, particularly in combination with alcohol.  A Quebec study found more than 30 per cent of fatal crashes in the province involved drugs or a combination of drugs and alcohol.

Police will need new training to address the issue of drugs and driving but it will be worth it if it saves lives.