“Drugged driving” claim based on flawed data- via AJC PolitiFact

Cautions abound from opponents and supporters alike in Georgia’s debate about whether to legalize medical marijuana….PolitiFact put the claims about drugged driving to the test.
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“We seem to think no one is consuming cannabis in Georgia and those that do are irresponsibly jumping in cars and hitting 285 wide open.” says Sharon Ravert.  “Any type of intoxication is dangerous when operating heavy equipment, we see the warnings on pill bottles. We hear it in the “Drive responsibly” mantra.

We will assist Georgia as we move forward with reform to enact sensible safety measures to protect the public on roadways. No one wants impaired drivers on our roads, but as things stand now there is a zero tolerance policy for marijuana metabolites with driving.  Which mean even if you consume in a legal state while on vacation, you will be driving under the influence for up to 30 days when you come home to Georgia.”

“Colorado has seen a decrease in traffic fatalities by 14.8 percent between 2007 and 2012,” Spahos said. “But it’s up 100 percent for operators who tested positive for marijuana.”

“We don’t want to stand in the way of this oil being available,” he said. “This is how bad it’s going to be if we let it go too far.”

What do you think? Is Spahos just another prohibitionist spreading reefer madness? -read the PolitFact piece here.