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Lawful pot a highway danger
So help this registered nurse understand the current discussion in legalizing cannabis sativa in Washington state.
When I was involved in clinical drug testing, laboratory analysis was able to detect delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (marijuana) as late as 30 days after the reported use. Alcohol is water-soluble and leaves your body pretty quickly. If I remember my science correctly, cannabis is fat-soluble so it takes days to weeks for the chemical to leave the body. Has anyone discovered the legal and sensible limit for operating a motor vehicle after using marijuana?
Washington state’s alcohol-related fatality rate is 43 percent (2008 statistics) of all motor-vehicle-related accidents, and I don’t think anyone believes use of marijuana and driving a motor vehicle is a good idea.
It would be nice if some common sense would prevail in the Legislature and there would be a resounding no vote on any proposal to legalize the use of marijuana, as I do not believe we need more impaired drivers on Washington state roads.
Michael Cloke
Clarkston