With the legalization of medical marijuana in Kentucky, some are wondering how police officers will be able to ensure that drivers are staying safe and sober behind the wheel.
Bill Bell, Executive Director of the Office of Highway Safety, said that officers will be on the lookout for troubling driving patterns.
“Maybe weaving or driving erratically, maybe high speeds or even very low speeds. If something is not right, then they can pull that vehicle over and that gives them probable cause, and so if they look at the driver and see that, okay, somethings not right here, they can call in a drug recognition expert,” said Bell.
Drug Recognition Experts, or DRE’s are trained to recognize the effects of various substances on the body.
“The DRE’s can tell if they’re on marijuana, if they’re on other types of drugs. They go through extensive training, make that determination. Right now, that’s our biggest tool, as far as finding out if there’s something involving other substances, and then, once the officer determines that there is something there, then they can get a warrant to draw blood and find out exactly what’s in their system,” said Bell.
Officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report there are some misconceptions that marijuana can’t impair or that its use will make someone a safer driver. A NHTSA campaign called “If you feel different, you drive different” highlights studies showing that cannabis impairs motor skills, lane tracking, cognitive function and the ability to multitask.
Blood tests are the easiest and most reliable way to determine if someone is under the influence of marijuana. Bell said even with the legalization of medical marijuana, it is still illegal to drive under its influence, the same way it’s illegal to drive under the influence of several other prescription medications.
The state’s cannabis program went into effect January 1, 2025.
With the legalization of medical marijuana in Kentucky, some are wondering how police officers will be able to ensure that drivers are staying safe and sober behind the wheel. Read More
