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luvdemshrooms
Two inch dick..but it spins!?


Registered: 11/29/01
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More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear
#19181439 - 11/24/13 04:38 AM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear
SEATTLE — More drivers have been testing positive for marijuana since Washington legalized the drug last year, according to new figures from the State Patrol.
In the first six months of 2013, the patrol's crime lab says, 745 people tested positive for marijuana. Typically, there are about 1,000 positive pot tests on drivers in a full year.
It doesn't necessarily mean there has been a rash of people driving high, said patrol spokesman Bob Calkins. Troopers are looking harder for drivers operating under the influence of pot, and they might be ordering more marijuana blood tests — "We're testing blood we didn't test before," he said.
In addition, the overall number of impaired driving cases handled by the patrol doesn't appear to have risen this year, and should be on track to hit the rough annual average of 20,000 — which could mean that some people are using marijuana instead of alcohol before getting behind the wheel, Calkins said.
"They're still making a very bad decision," he said.
The patrol's crime lab ran the numbers this month and provided the information to the federal government. The Justice Department announced in August it would not sue to block recreational marijuana sales in Washington and Colorado as long as the states satisfy eight federal law enforcement goals, including keeping pot away from children and the black market — and combatting drugged driving.
Washington and Colorado voters legalized the recreational use of marijuana by adults over 21 last year. Both states have set a legal limit of 5 nanograms of active THC per milliliter of blood for drivers; anything above that is a per-se violation of impaired driving laws, similar to blowing 0.08 or above on an alcohol breath test.
The violation is generally a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail — and at least one day in custody for a first offense.
Of the 745 people who tested positive for marijuana in the first half of this year, the State Patrol says a slight majority tested above the legal limit. The exact number: 420. It's a curious coincidence, since "420" is an old slang term for marijuana.
In 2011, 506 drivers tested above 5 nanograms. In 2012, it was 609.
The number of positive marijuana blood tests represents a tiny sliver of the roughly 40,000 impaired driving arrests in the state in any given year. The positive pot-test figures reflect cases from the patrol as well as local police agencies.
Kevin Sabet, of Project SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana), said it will be interesting to learn the reasons for the increase in drivers testing positive for pot, but the numbers are troubling. His group says it promotes a public-health approach to marijuana.
"It's certainly cause for alarm," he said. "It's very possible people are getting the message that this is OK. Obviously, impaired driving is a major public safety issue."
Alison Holcomb, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington lawyer who drafted the state's legal pot law, agreed that it's too early to know what was causing the rise, but said she would be tracking the issue — including keeping tabs on whether certain demographics are being disproportionately targeted for marijuana blood tests.
More public education about the dangers of drugged driving, and especially of mixing marijuana and alcohol before getting behind the wheel, is needed, she said. "That's something we'd really like to see the Liquor Control Board and Department of Health collaborate on now," before the state's licensed pot shops open next spring, she said.
-------------------- You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for that my dear friend is the beginning of the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it. ~ Adrian Rogers
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Psilosopherr
A psilly goose



Registered: 02/15/12
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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: luvdemshrooms] 1
#19181706 - 11/24/13 08:11 AM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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this is such bullshit.
I drive stoned every single time I drive. Does that make it okay for everyone necessarily? no. But I can obviously handle it, as I've been followed by cops multiple times while stoned as all hell and not been pulled over.
And besides, sweating can activate THC stored in your fatty cells, so to me that makes all their testing worthless because what if I was just sweaty?
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Chuckfinely
another round for me an my buddy

Registered: 06/27/13
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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Psilosopherr]
#19181982 - 11/24/13 10:16 AM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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I recently found out I have a pending ouid charge from almost 2 years ago. According to my lawyer it took 11 months for the charges to come through. I got a state id 12 months ago(cant drive cause of seizures) and figured everything blew over.
Now im probably going to end up in jail cause some d bag cop got a warrant for my blood and there was pot in it
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mylfgur
Untitled



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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Chuckfinely]
#19182478 - 11/24/13 12:39 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Yeah, the problem with quantitative blood tests is tolerance. While you get the same problem with alcohol, it's not nearly on the same level. Someone who has never smoked cannabis who takes their first giant hit of hash oil will probably not be able to drive, considering that they're probably blazed out of their mind and also have no experience handling themselves on THC, but that may not be reflected in their blood levels of THC. While this person could pass a blood test being totally stoned and nonfunctional, someone who smokes daily and has a high tolerance would have much more THC in their bloodstream and still not feel "high" or be impaired by much.
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mushroom_sandwich
semi retarded



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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Chuckfinely]
#19182485 - 11/24/13 12:41 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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how stupid do you have to be to think you can regulate something like this? weed's system lifespan is nothing like alcohol.
People who smoke daily will be totally fucked if they get pulled over, even if they aren't high.
-------------------- “I believe in a long, prolonged derangement of the senses to attain the unknown. Our pale reasoning hides the infinite from us."
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mylfgur
Untitled



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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: mushroom_sandwich]
#19182493 - 11/24/13 12:42 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
mushroom_sandwich said: how stupid do you have to be to think you can regulate something like this? weed's system lifespan is nothing like alcohol.
People who smoke daily will be totally fucked if they get pulled over, even if they aren't high. 
That's why a lot of the legal and medical states are going by field sobriety tests instead of blood tests. Though in reality it is up to the cop to decide how he/she wants to handle the situation.
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Konyap

Registered: 06/30/07
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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: mylfgur]
#19182587 - 11/24/13 01:09 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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It sucks but if you can't drive without getting cops on your ass don't drive
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Caddilac
(*'


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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Psilosopherr]
#19183496 - 11/24/13 04:44 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Mmm nnnoo. impaired driving is impaired driving. i drive on blunts but may not bestoned as a muh fucka on a certain weed or because of tolerance. yea everyone is different. but the goal is to not he behind the wheel and get caught or be behind the wheel . as for sweating or testing positive there will be a difference. thc-hooh or what ever is what quantifys use however active thc comes before thc ooh. a good approach is working its way.
Edited by Caddilac (11/24/13 04:47 PM)
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Psilosopherr
A psilly goose



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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Caddilac]
#19183633 - 11/24/13 05:20 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
Caddilac said: Mmm nnnoo. impaired driving is impaired driving. i drive on blunts but may not bestoned as a muh fucka on a certain weed or because of tolerance. yea everyone is different. but the goal is to not he behind the wheel and get caught or be behind the wheel . as for sweating or testing positive there will be a difference. thc-hooh or what ever is what quantifys use however active thc comes before thc ooh. a good approach is working its way.
I'd lovvve to see some studies on how stoned driving compares to drunk. And studies on other drugs effect on driving as well.
I read that the THC released from sweat IS active. If thats what you were saying. Little confused by your phrasing
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Konyap

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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Psilosopherr]
#19183828 - 11/24/13 06:04 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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sensitive high people are not confident drivers
drunk people have awful reaction time and the worse offenders are braindead and need to smoke weed to come back a little lol
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Alan Rockefeller
Mycologist

Registered: 03/10/07
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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Psilosopherr]
#19184426 - 11/24/13 08:36 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
mushroom_sandwich said: how stupid do you have to be to think you can regulate something like this? weed's system lifespan is nothing like alcohol.
People who smoke daily will be totally fucked if they get pulled over, even if they aren't high. 
They are testing for THC itself, not THC metabolites. THC stays in the blood for around the same time as alcohol, it's the metabolites that are long lasting. A workplace drug test can detect marijuana for a week or more, but the tests the cops use on drivers detect it for just a few hours.
Quote:
rbalzer said: And besides, sweating can activate THC stored in your fatty cells, so to me that makes all their testing worthless because what if I was just sweaty?
What is your source for that information?
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Psilosopherr
A psilly goose



Registered: 02/15/12
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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Alan Rockefeller]
#19184458 - 11/24/13 08:48 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
Alan Rockefeller said:
Quote:
mushroom_sandwich said: how stupid do you have to be to think you can regulate something like this? weed's system lifespan is nothing like alcohol.
People who smoke daily will be totally fucked if they get pulled over, even if they aren't high. 
They are testing for THC itself, not THC metabolites. THC stays in the blood for around the same time as alcohol, it's the metabolites that are long lasting. A workplace drug test can detect marijuana for a week or more, but the tests the cops use on drivers detect it for just a few hours.
Quote:
rbalzer said: And besides, sweating can activate THC stored in your fatty cells, so to me that makes all their testing worthless because what if I was just sweaty?
What is your source for that information?
it was an article on shroomery news a little while back, let me go dig it up. quite interesting
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Konyap

Registered: 06/30/07
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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Psilosopherr]
#19184521 - 11/24/13 09:05 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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yeah pretty much, if you smoke lots of dope and go for a jog then hop in a car you not only have a runners high but also a slight weed high lol
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mylfgur
Untitled



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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Konyap]
#19184570 - 11/24/13 09:16 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
Illyabo said: yeah pretty much, if you smoke lots of dope and go for a jog then hop in a car you not only have a runners high but also a slight weed high lol
I've never heard of this.
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LoginName123

Registered: 11/24/13
Posts: 22
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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: mylfgur]
#19184613 - 11/24/13 09:28 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Even without having a tolerance or anything stored in lipids the legal limits are very low. I think around 5ng/ml. If a person ate a strong edible they could be to intoxicated to drive for days according to such a low limit.
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Psilosopherr
A psilly goose



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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: LoginName123]
#19184973 - 11/24/13 11:18 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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I went through like 8 pages of the shroomery headlines, couldn't find it. might try again later
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Chuckfinely
another round for me an my buddy

Registered: 06/27/13
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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Alan Rockefeller]
#19185204 - 11/25/13 12:43 AM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
Alan Rockefeller said:
Quote:
mushroom_sandwich said: how stupid do you have to be to think you can regulate something like this? weed's system lifespan is nothing like alcohol.
People who smoke daily will be totally fucked if they get pulled over, even if they aren't high. 
They are testing for THC itself, not THC metabolites. THC stays in the blood for around the same time as alcohol, it's the metabolites that are long lasting. A workplace drug test can detect marijuana for a week or more, but the tests the cops use on drivers detect it for just a few hours.
Quote:
rbalzer said: And besides, sweating can activate THC stored in your fatty cells, so to me that makes all their testing worthless because what if I was just sweaty?
What is your source for that information?
I had a blood test done when I was about 17. I hadn't smoked pot in a little over 48 hours, yet my dr found it in my blood. She didn't care, just did a tox screen to see if there was anything but pot. You shouldn't be able to charge someone for driving intoxicated when they haven't smoked for 2 days but its still in your blood. When I got my blood taken by a cop I had been a heavy medical smoker, daily 5+ grams of good, for the past 2 years. My blood would have been absolutely saturated, and def still detectable after a day or two. Im fairly certain the nurse said it was for a tox screen too.
My understanding on the topic is that if your body burns fat cells that have pot in them, then it has to enter your blood stream to be filtered out. Im not a med student or dr by any stretch of the imagination, so please correct me if I'm wrong on how that works.
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DeeBee
The Cake is a Lie

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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Chuckfinely]
#19185745 - 11/25/13 07:52 AM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Isn't regular drug testing done at 30ng/mL? 5 nanograms is way too low. You could probably hit that level just being around people that smoke.
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Alan Rockefeller
Mycologist

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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Chuckfinely] 2
#19185914 - 11/25/13 08:48 AM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
Chuckfinely said: I had a blood test done when I was about 17. I hadn't smoked pot in a little over 48 hours, yet my dr found it in my blood.
Your doctor did not find THC in your blood, she found THC metabolites. THC stays in your blood for a few hours, and THC metabolites stay in your blood for weeks to a month.
The blood tests that the police use to determine if you are high test for THC, not THC metabolites.
Quote:
My understanding on the topic is that if your body burns fat cells that have pot in them, then it has to enter your blood stream to be filtered out. Im not a med student or dr by any stretch of the imagination, so please correct me if I'm wrong on how that works.
The fat cells do not have THC in them, they have THC metabolites. Lots of exercise can make you fail a workplace drug test, but not a police drug test.
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bloodsheen
ChemChaplin



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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: Alan Rockefeller]
#19187210 - 11/25/13 02:11 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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People talk about this shit all the time, the whole "how are you supposed to tell if somebody is fucked up or not" thing. But for decades people have been taking pain killers and other psychotropic drugs and drive and are permitted to as long as they don't appear to be a danger to the road.
If you get pulled over cause you are driving like an ass and a blood test shows you have painkillers in your blood, there is a good chance you are going to get in trouble. Happened to a friend of mine (his test came back negative luckily). They told him to take a field sobriety test, he failed for some reason (cops could have lied for all I know), took him back to the station for a blood test, then sent him on his merry way. It should always come down to a field sobriety test in the end, the only exception being alcohol because its legal and easily obtainable in bars.
And as far as how weed affects your driving, every study ive ever seen has shown that, if anything, it makes you a better driver because you are so cautious. Literally because you drive like an old man you inherently become a safer driver. I can find examples if people don't believe me, I'm just too lazy right now 
That being said, I think driving stoned is a terrible idea. Everyone has had that one time (when they had a tolerance) where they thought they would be fine smoking and end up blazed out of their mind barely able to move. A field sobriety test, however, would totally be able to screen for that. So make cops do their goddamn jobs and leave smokers alone!
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A cautious young fellow named Lodge / Had seat belts installed in his Dodge. / When his date was strapped in / He committed a sin / Without even leaving the garage. That's clever, isn't it?-A boy and his dog
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GreenGrassMatt
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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: bloodsheen]
#19188431 - 11/25/13 06:52 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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There was one time when I was stoned and I was in a super filled parking lot in my car. And I was backing up to straighten out my car so I could drive into my parking space and I hit another car with my trailer hitch, the damage was a little dent, prob could be popped back out if you went to the right auto repair shop, but that was the only time I messed up with stoned and driving. I nearly drive stoned every day. Once I was driving on 3.5 of shrooms and I was peeking, colors and my vision was slurring and there were multiple copies of everything in my vision. But I don't drive fast, I'm always in control of my car.. Glad to say this too, never hit a animal while driving. Take that you drinking mother fuckers
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Konyap

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Re: More drivers test positive for pot in Washington state since legalization, but reasons unclear [Re: GreenGrassMatt]
#19188457 - 11/25/13 06:56 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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I wanna see da boat movie
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