Working to help police detect drugged driving

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Working to help police detect drugged driving

In the U.S., four states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana, and many other states allow medical use of marijuana. And the numbers are growing. Additional states will vote on legalization this year if their ballot initiatives garner the required signatures. “The momentum is continuing to grow,” said Nicholas Lovrich, a marijuana policy expert at Washington State University. For example, in Washington, one state that has legalized marijuana, marijuana stores similar to liquor stores have opened. “Revenue has been more than expected, and the problems less than expected,” Lovrich said. But that doesn’t mean there are no problems. The uptick in use that accompanies such legalization can translate into an increase in the number of impaired drivers, whom law enforcement officers want to keep off the road. One way to catch them would be with tests like the ones used to catch drunk drivers. During traffic stops,

Instruments under development could become the marijuana equivalent of the breathalyzer

10.1021/cen-09413-bus2-jointcxd-gr1

Legalization of recreational marijuana raises concerns about the possibility of drugged driving. (Credit: Shutterstock)

marijuanadrugsjointPhoto of a man rolling a joint.