Westworld Saskatchewan

drivesmart Bad Influence How drugs and driving make for a deadly cocktail by Lawrence Herzog O n any given day, an alarming range of drugs – both legal and illegal – can be found in the bloodstreams of Saskatchewan motorists. Marijuana, hashish, cocaine, heroin, crystal methamphetamine, PCP, crack cocaine and ecstasy (all illegal) are joined by a wide range of prescription drugs, tranquillizers and seemingly harmless over-thecounter medicines such as antihistamines. Two people died and 38 were injured in 56 motor vehicle crashes in Saskatchewan in 2011 where prescription or illegal drugs were a contributing factor, according to statistics from Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI). "Those numbers don't seem high, but they're just the most visible part of what may be a growing problem," says Sandy Crighton, manager of driver programs for SGI. Whatever the drug, all can impair perception, reaction, cognitive function and motor skills. Just because medication was prescribed by a physician doesn't mean it is safe to operate a vehicle after taking it, Crighton observes. The use of drugs in combination with alcohol or other drugs can also produce effects greater than either one alone. An alarming number of drivers killed in road crashes have such a mix in their systems. A 2011 Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) study reported 36.7 per cent of drivers who died in crashes nationwide between 2000 and 2008 tested positive for drugs. In Saskatchewan, the percentage in 2008 was 34.7. (The actual tally may be even higher, as not all of the drivers who died in crashes were tested for drugs.) A study conducted in Quebec between 2002 and 2004 found drugs in 32 per cent of urine specimens collected from a sample of drivers killed in crashes. Cannabis (20 per cent), benzodiazepines (10 per cent) and cocaine (eight per cent) were the most commonly detected and, in 47 per cent of drugpositive cases, alcohol was also present. "Our officers are trained to look for drugs, and some are easier to detect, like marijuana, which has a smell," says Kaeli Decelles, social media officer for the Regina iStock p36_37_Drive_Smart.indd 37 Police Service. Because drugs cannot be detected in breath samples, as is the case with alcohol, confirming their presence requires a sample of blood, urine or oral fluid. Under federal legislation that came into force in 2008, police now have the authority to compel drivers to submit to tests of impairment, an evaluation by an officer who is specially trained in drug recognition and provide a sample of bodily fluid. Refusing a request for a drug evaluation is equivalent to declining a breath test for alcohol and is a Criminal Code offence. The evaluation starts with a roadside test of physical coordination called a Standardized Field Sobriety Test. Drivers found to be impaired must submit to a mandatory Drug Evaluation and Classification (DEC) assessment, conducted by Drug Recognition Experts (DREs), like RCMP Constable Colin Stark. Cst. Stark, who has completed more than 100 drug recognition evaluations in the last six years, believes the motoring public needs to be better educated about the risks of mixing alcohol with drugs. "We are seeing cases where people are on medication, and then go to the bar and have one or two alcoholic beverages, or those that chase the alcohol with a line of cocaine or some ecstasy or cannabis. It's not just young people doing it, either. We're seeing middle-aged adults operating motor vehicles with dangerous levels of drugs in their systems." Historically, it has been difficult for law enforcement to gather evidence for drugimpaired driving charges, but changes to the law and additional resources to do the job are making a difference, Cst. Stark says. "It has come a long way, and we're making real progress now in tackling the problem." Consequences for operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs range from 24-hour roadside suspensions to Criminal Code charges that carry substantial fines and imprisonment if convicted. Impaired drivers can lose their licences for one to five years, face a minimum $1,000 fine on a first offence and jail time for a second offence. Avoid "High" Anxiety ■ Ask your physician and your pharmacist about medication and its effects. ■ When taken together, prescription drugs can interact and magnify their individual effect. ■ Over-the-counter remedies can impair perception, reaction, cognitive function and motor skills. ■ Alcohol mixed with other drugs — legal or illegal — increases impairment. ■ If you feel light-headed, dizzy or sleepy after taking medication, get off the road. □ Sources: Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF), Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse (CCSA), SGI. W e s t wo r l d >> s p r i n g 2 0 1 3 37 13-01-21 1:11 PM

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