Legalizing Marijuana Potential Disaster for Alaska Drivers

Leading experts all agree that legalizing marijuana in Alaska could lead to tragic consequences for Alaskan Drivers, especially those under the age of 21.

(PRWEB) October 22, 2004 -- What seems like freedom for some may in fact be destruction to others if the latest attempt to legalize marijuana in the State of Alaska.

If passed on Nov 2nd, 2004, Alaska's Ballot Measure 2 would make it "legal under state law for people 21 and older to grow, use, sell or give away marijuana". It would also allow for state regulation and taxation of marijuana.

This would be "a disaster for Alaskan drivers" said, Terry Haggin, CEO of Internet Traffic School, a leading online internet traffic school who is in the midst of an approval process as an official Alaskan driver education program.

Haggin then added, "to permit any additional useage of any controlled substance, such as marijuana, depressants, cocaine or stimulants is asking for a catastrophe. As it stands nationally, over 30% of all serious vehicle accidents are directly related to drug usage, especially with those under the age of 21. This legislation would only add to those numbers."

Jennifer de Vallance, a spokeswoman for the Office of National Drug Control Policy, agreed and stated that regulating marijuana would not prevent children from accessing the drug. She added that alcohol is regulated, but minors still get it. "It doesn't make sense that making this legal would hamper access," she said. "If anything, it sends a mixed message to kids that it's OK."

Margaret Russell, chair of the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce board of directors also argued that passage of the measure would contribute to a trend of kids trying marijuana at younger and younger ages, calling smoking pot a "middle-school rite of passage."

"Driving and marijuana do not mix; that's the bottom line," said Dr. Stephen J. Heishman, a research psychologist in the Clinical Pharmacology Branch of NIDA's Division of Intramural Research. Figures from previous studies of automobile accident victims show that from 6 to 12 percent of nonfatally injured drivers and 4 to 16 percent of fatally injured drivers had tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, in their bloodstream.

So come November, the citizens of Alaska will have the opportunity to decide between the freedom to possess marijuana and the increased likelihood of serious drug-related motor vehicle accidents.

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