[OG Kush]

Losing a child for any reason is a terrible tragedy, but it can be difficult for the grieving survivors to think clearly when they are still distraught.

Claiming that the driver might have been impaired on marijuana is a nebulous assertion [Grieving mom seeks change, July 28, Langley Advance], and the fact that charges related to the claim were dropped suggests that it's very likely that marijuana impairment may have had nothing to do with the accident.

Hundreds of thousands of people drive every day while impaired by legal prescription drugs, but when they are involved in fatal accidents, their legal drug use is not highlighted in the media.

Additionally, it may be inadvisable to allow 16-year-old drivers to operate sports cars or high-performance vehicles.

Ms. Featherston offered excellent advice in suggesting children should not get into vehicles with drivers they don't know.

Character defects and/or lack of experience that encourage young drivers to drive recklessly almost certainly cause more accidents than marijuana impairment, if it has ever been proven that any accident was caused by such impairment.

Some readers may be aware of the studies suggesting that drivers under the influence of marijuana are safer drivers than the general public. In a climate of drug hysteria, it can be difficult to separate the authorities's agenda from facts.

Demonizing marijuana will not reduce accidents caused by impaired drivers. In fact, it may be an exacerbating factor. Teenagers may be smoking the marijuana in their possession, so they'll be clean if stopped and searched while driving. If so, criminalization of marijuana is actually contributing to excessive use.

It's important not to lose sight of the fact that actually reducing accidents and saving lives should be regarded as more significant goals than simply making ourselves feel better.

Newshawk: SX420 - 420Girls.com
Source: 420Times.com
Pubdate: Fri, 11 Aug 2006
Author: George Kosinski
Copyright: 2006 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc
Contact: editorial@langleyadvance.com
Website: http://www.langleyadvance.com/