Tools

Lawmakers Debate Marijuana Blood Limits

by KREX News Room
by Jacklyn Thrapp

Story Created: Feb 14, 2013 at 5:35 AM MDT

Story Updated: Feb 14, 2013 at 5:36 AM MDT

DENVER, Colo. (AP) - Marijuana blood-level driving limits could finally be coming to Colorado.

Colorado lawmakers have failed three times to agree to a driving blood limit standard for marijuana. The proposal comes before the Legislature for a fourth time Thursday, when the proposal is heard in the House Judiciary Committee.

The proposal would set a marijuana equivalent to blood-alcohol limits. But pot activists who have successfully derailed earlier driving-high bills insist the fight isn't over.

Drugged driving is already illegal. But the bill would set a standard of 5 nanograms per milliliter of blood for the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

This year's version would give defendants the opportunity to show they were unimpaired though they exceeded the blood limit.

Washington state already has a 5 nanogram driving limit.

You have indicated this comment should be removed.

Close

The comment has been submitted for review. Thank you .

jacks said on Thursday, Feb 14 at 9:28 AM

This really is getting on my nerves. 3 times now people 3 times we have proved this is a useless bill that does nothing and is a answer in search of a problem! It is already illegal to be driving high! MJ is not alcohol where impairment can be determined with blood levels! Imagine if we set the bac levels to .0000001 on top of the standard now making two laws and you get an idea what this bill is trying to do. It wastes money and make criminals out of sober drivers.

Kingsgottogo said on Thursday, Feb 14 at 1:01 PM

Sen, King just can't let that old cop mentality go! How long are you folks in Mesa County going to put up with this turd?

shawn said on Thursday, Feb 14 at 3:30 PM

yeah... this is ridiculous !!!!!

Upset said on Thursday, Feb 14 at 10:27 PM

Making driving high a felony!!

Upset said on Thursday, Feb 14 at 10:29 PM

* make*

Upset said on Thursday, Feb 14 at 10:30 PM

And make driving drunk a felony.

SMH said on Wednesday, Feb 20 at 7:10 PM

keep criminalizing marijuana, then look at America's incarceration rate. Our leaders are misguided by money, and not in line with morality,

Ridiculous said on Wednesday, Feb 20 at 7:19 PM

Nanogram testing for THC? Really? In dealing with drug testing myself, I would have to say this is ridiculous. A person can consume THC, and test positive for it weeks later.. and they should have a DUI? How many DUI check point, or road sides are testing for sleep depravation, over-the-counter cold medications, or inhalants?? Government is angry they were wrong in the demonization of marijuana, and are trying to save face and make a profit while doing so. WRONG!

Krymsun said on Sunday, Feb 24 at 12:17 PM

Ethanol, marijuana, and other drug use in 600 drivers killed in single-vehicle crashes in North Carolina, 1978-1981. [ Journal of Forensic Sciences, Oct., 1984 by A. P. Mason, A. J. McBay ] Blood ethanol concentrations (BECs) were usually high; 85.5% of the drivers whose bloods contained ethanol and 67.8% of all drivers had BECs greater than or equal to 1.0 g/L. Drug concentrations were usually within or were below accepted therapeutic or active ranges. Only a small number of drivers could have been impaired by drugs, and most of them had high BECs. Multiple drug use (discounting ethanol) was comparatively rare. Ethanol was the only drug tested for that appears to have a significantly adverse effect on driving safety.

Krymsun said on Sunday, Feb 24 at 12:23 PM

Cannabis use is associated with only marginal increases in traffic accident risk, comparable to anti-histamines and penicillin. An investigator from Aalborg University and the Institute of Transport Economics in Oslo assessed the risk of road accident associated reviewed data from 66 separate studies evaluating the use of illicit or prescribed drugs on accident risk; the study found that cannabis was associated with minor, but not significantly increased odds of traffic injury (1.06) or fatal accident (1.25). By comparison, opiates (1.44), benzodiazepine tranquillizers (2.30), anti-depressants (1.32), cocaine (2.96), amphetamines (4.46), and the sleeping aid zopiclone (2.60) were all associated with a greater risk of fatal accident than cannabis. Anti-histamines (1.12) and penicillin (1.12) were associated with comparable odds to cannabis.

jon said on Friday, Mar 8 at 8:19 PM

And while we're at it, let's raise the age for tobacco to 21 too!

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

KREX - News, Weather, Sports for Grand Junction | Montrose | Glenwood Springs - Coverage You Can Count On and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

Most Popular
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.
News Channel 5 Weather