February 10, 2012 New Study Shows Marijuana Use Doubles Risk of Crash A new meta-analysis from Canadian researchers published in the British Medical Journal shows that smoking marijuana significantly increases - nearly doubles - the risk of crash. Rates of drugged driving have surpassed rates of drunk driving among youth in areas of Canada causing significant concern for public safety. Smoking marijuana impairs driving skills, with greatest risk for crash among young drivers and those who combine marijuana with alcohol. Read more.

January 31, 2012 Police Seek Help Identifying Drugged Drivers Senators Charles Schumer of New York and Mark Pryor of Arkansas have proposed that federal funding in a pending transportation funding bill be used for research and to train police officers to identify drugged drivers. In addition to illegal drugs, prescription drug abuse poses a threat to the nation's roads. National self-report and roadside surveys have clearly demonstrated that drugged driving is a serious public health and public safety problem. Read more.

January 27, 2012 Father of Victim in Drugged Driving Crash Speaks Out Brian Wood was a fatally injured victim in a drugged driving crash that took place in Washington State in 2010. Before the imminent crash Brian swerved his car saving the life of his wife, then pregnant with their first child. Brian's father Ed Wood is now speaking out across the country advocating for the implementation of drugged driving per se laws and increased drugged driving enforcement. Ed Wood has also started a DUID Victim Registry, www.DeceptionPass3.com. Watch a Local News Report of Brian's Story. To learn about current drugged driving laws Visit www.StopDUID.org.

January 27, 2012 Father of Victim in Drugged Driving Crash Speaks Out Brian Wood was a fatally injured victim in a drugged driving crash that took place in Washington State in 2010. Before the imminent crash Brian swerved his car saving the life of his wife, then pregnant with their first child. Brian's father Ed Wood is now speaking out across the country advocating for the implementation of drugged driving per se laws and increased drugged driving enforcement. Ed Wood has also started a DUID Victim Registry, www.DeceptionPass3.com. Watch a Local News Report of Brian's Story. To learn about current drugged driving laws Visit www.StopDUID.org.

December 8, 2011 New IBH Commentary on Marijuana Impaired Driving While "medical marijuana" and marijuana legalization are common topics in the news, little attention is given to a large and growing body of research showing that marijuana impaired driving is a major cause of crashes, injuries and deaths. The large and ever-growing evidence that marijuana use is a significant contributor to highway crashes and deaths should be highlighted in any discussion of "medical marijuana" laws or marijuana legalization, which by all accounts increase this drug's availability and use. Read more.

December 6, 2011 Presidential Proclamation Announces National Impaired Driving Prevention Month President Barack Obama announced December 2011 as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. The Obama Administration is committed to decreasing the incidence of drugged driving by 10% over the next 5 years as outlined in the 2010 and 2011 National Drug Control Strategies released by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. ONDCP is collaborating with state and local governments to "bolster enforcement efforts, implement more effective legislation, and support successful, evidence-based prevention programs" to reduce the number of impaired drivers on the nation's roads. Presidential Proclamation.

November 9, 2011 Russian Pilot Under the Influence of Marijuana Barred from Flight A health check revealed that a pilot due to fly a passenger plane from Magadan to Moscow, Russia was trying to do so under the influence of marijuana. Doctors who conducted the pre-flight medical check were concerned by the pilot's high pulse rate, high blood pressure and slow reactions. Tests revealed the pilot had smoked marijuana. Read more.

October 17, 2011 Mothers Against Drunk Driving Teams with Office of National Drug Control Policy to Combat Drugged Driving ONDCP Director Gil Kerlikowske, and Jan Withers, National President of MADD announced a new partnership to raise public awareness regarding the consequences of drugged driving. MADD has launched a national effort to provide support to the victims of poly-abuse and drugged driving and to recognize law enforcement officers for their achievements in drugged driving enforcement. ONDCP also released new resources produced by ONDCP for parents and teens aimed at educating young drivers regarding the perils of driving while under the influence of drugs. Read more. ONDCP's Teen Drugged Driving Activity Guide.

October 10, 2011 Marijuana Use May Double the Risk of Motor Vehicle Crashes A new meta-analysis of epidemiological studies shows that drivers who test positive for marijuana or report driving within three hours of using marijuana are more than twice as likely as other drivers to be involved in motor vehicle crashes. Researchers also found evidence that crash risk increases with the concentration of marijuana-produced compounds in the urine and the frequency of self-reported marijuana use. This study published in Epidemiological Reviews has significant implications for laws and enforcement related to both drugged driving and "medical marijuana." Read more.

September 28, 2011 Office of National Drug Control Policy Recognizes National Association of Drug Court Professionals as Key Leader in Addressing Drugged Driving The latest issue of the DWI Court Reporter, a publication of the National Center for DWI Courts, highlights steps taken by the Office of National Drug Policy to reduce drugged driving and to promote and enforce drugged driving laws. ONDCP has made reducing drugged driving by 10% by 2015 a national priority. ONDCP Director Gil Kerlikowske commends the leadership provided by the National Association of Drug Court Professions to recognize drugged driving as a national issue. NADCP now supports the admission of individuals who present a pattern of substance dependency and are convicted of operating under the influence of an impairing substance other than alcohol into DWI Courts and Drug Courts. Read more.

September 13, 2011 Drugged Driving Due to Prescription Drug Abuse Rising in Palm Beach County, FL Prescription drugs are playing larger roles in traffic crashes in Palm Beach, Florida. In particular, Xanax and Oxycodone are commonly found in deadly crashes -- often in combination with alcohol. Few drivers prosecuted for drugged driving have prescriptions. Rates of drugged driving are hard to gauge and likely underreported because some enforcement agencies do not distinguish between drug impairment and alcohol impairment. Read more.

August 24, 2011 New Campaign Targets Drugged Drivers in Colorado This month the Colorado Department of Transportation launched a new high-visibility drugged driving campaign. The campaign comes at a critical time with Colorado law enforcement officers reporting increases in the number of drivers under the influence of marijuana and a rise in the number of "medical marijuana" users on the roads. Campaign billboards and posters send strong messages to the public about the dangers of drugged driving and its consequences. Read more. Colorado DOT Campaign Website.

July 7, 2011 LA Times Reports Stoned Driving is Uncharted Territory The Los Angeles Times brought much-needed attention to the problem of drugged driving. With 16 states permitting marijuana use for "medical" purposes, the role of marijuana in crashes is a growing concern. As Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske said, "Marijuana is a significant and important contributing factor in a number of fatal accidents." New research is being conducted on the role of marijuana in drugged driving and drugged driving laws are being refined. IBH promotes zero tolerance per se drugged driving laws as the most effective way to reduce drugged driving. Read more. On July 9, 2011, a Letter to the Editor on the article by IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D. was published.

June 30, 2011 "Drugged Driving - The Hidden Dangers" Webcast The Multijurisdictional Task Force Training program presents an hour-long webcast entitled Drugged Driving: The Hidden Dangers. Experts include Stephen Talpins, IBH Vice President and Former Prosecutor, Kevin A. Sabet, Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor at the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Tim McClure Jr., Investigator and Drug Recognition Expert, and Dr. Marilyn Huestis, Senior Investigator and Chief, Chemistry and Drug Metabolism Section of the Intramural Research Program at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The group discuss the problem of drugged driving including the most prevalent drugs, challenges in roadside identification of impaired driving, and the Delaware's Office of Highway Safety efforts to raise awareness for the issue. Watch the webcast.

June 27, 2011 ONDCP and NIDA Release IBH White Paper on Drugged Driving The Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc., with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and Office of National Drug Control Policy, developed a White Paper that summarizes the information currently available about drugged driving and provides a perspective regarding future research needs. IBH convened an expert committee to develop this report, which included top leaders across a broad spectrum of related disciplines such as research, public policy, and law enforcement. Read more.

June 21, 2011 Drugged Driver Killed Police Officer After Smoking Marijuana, Sentenced to 5 to 15 Years in Prison Justin Malik had marijuana in his system when he turned his car into the path of an oncoming motorcycle, killing off-duty police officer Chris Yonker in October, 2008. Malik was convicted of impaired driving causing death and driving with a suspended license causing death in Michigan's Barry County Circuit Court. He admitted to smoking marijuana 5 hours before the crash, testing positive at 4 ng of THC and a low BAC of 0.01. Drugged driving due to marijuana use remains a public health and safety problem. Marijuana is not a harmless drug. Read more.

June 2, 2011 "Medical Marijuana" and Drugged Driving In a newly revised commentary, IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D. addresses the important questions surrounding the effects of "medical marijuana" on drugged driving detection and enforcement. Lawmakers in Colorado recently considered setting a blood-content threshold for marijuana for drivers because of "medical marijuana" laws. Research clearly shows that setting any blood-content threshold is not a viable option because most drivers arrested for suspicion of drugged driving would not reach the threshold for detection. IBH strongly supports the national standard of zero tolerance that has been successfully used for commercial drivers; "medical marijuana" is not recognized as a defense for a positive drug test. The zero tolerance standard for marijuana and any other illegal drug of abuse for all drivers is the best way to keep our highways safe. Read more.

May 9, 2011 Montana Signs Into Law New 24/7 Sobriety Program The Montana Governor recently signed into law House Bill 106 to create a statewide testing program for repeat DUI offenders. Based on the South Dakota 24/7 Sobriety program, offenders will be alcohol breath tested twice a day, every day, at their own expense from the time arrested until their sentence is completed. The bill received strong bipartisan support, passing by a count of 97-2. It comes after Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock introduced the state to a pilot 24/7 Sobriety program in Lewis & Clark County, Montana. Read more.

March 29, 2011 UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs Passes Resolution to Prevent Drugged Driving Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske co-led a US Delegation attending the United Nations' Commission on Narcotic Drugs meeting in Vienna, Austria. At the Commission, Director Kerlikowske and the US Delegation introduced a historic resolution that calls for the international community to work together to prevent drugged driving. Read more. CND Resolution.

March 14, 2011 Efficacy of South Dakota's 24/7 Sobriety Project An evaluation findings report on the long-term effects of South Dakota's 24/7 Sobriety Project upon DUI recidivism demonstrates that the program is very successful in addressing offender sobriety while individuals are in the program. Participants who participate in twice-daily breath tests have lower rates of DUI recidivism when compared to individuals who do not participate in the program. For repeat offenders, even minimal days of participation in 24/7 Sobriety positively impact recidivism rates and individuals with at least 30 days or program participation demonstrate a greater reduction in recidivism. Read more.

February 11, 2011 IBH President Discusses Drugged Driving at the 2011 CADCA Leadership Forum IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D. was part of a joint presentation entitled Drugged Driving: Confronting An Epidemic. Dr. DuPont explored why the problem of drugged driving has previously been overlooked and why it is a national priority now. He documented the prevalence of drugged driving among different driving populations including seriously injured, fatally injured and randomly stopped drivers. He explained why there cannot be an impairment standard for illegal drugs as there is for alcohol and what ideas and programs organizations like CADCA among other can promote to address this public health and safety problem. PowerPoint Presentation.

February 7, 2011 IBH Honors ONDCP Director Kerlikowske for his Leadership to Reduce Drugged Driving On February 7, 2011, IBH presented the John P. McGovern Award for leadership in drug abuse prevention to R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) for his distinguished leadership in drugged driving prevention and enforcement, including recognizing drugged driving as a national priority in the 2010 National Drug Control Strategy. The meeting was a celebration of Director Kerlikowske's leadership and an expression of gratitude and respect from the impressive audience of 60 national leaders in highway safety and substance abuse prevention, treatment and research. Meeting Summary.

January 25, 2011 Montana House Judiciary Committee Endorses Bill to Expand 24/7 Sobriety Program Montana House Bill 106 was unanimously endorsed by the House Judiciary Committee today which would direct the State Justice Department to help expand the 24/7 Sobriety Program that has been implemented in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. With strong bipartisan support, this measure will head to the House floor. If passed, the program would require second and subsequent DUI offenders to take a breath test twice a day, every day, from the day they are arrested until they are sentenced. The 24/7 Sobriety Program has had great success in South Dakota in reducing DUI recidivism. Read more. South Dakota's 24/7 Sobriety Program.

January 17, 2011 Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana is a Growing Problem A drugged driver in Montana was recently convicted of vehicular homicide while under the influence and received a 30-year jail sentence in Montana. The driver was not under the influence of alcohol, but rather, had smoked marijuana earlier that day. As a state with laws permitting the use of "medical marijuana," the number of people legally smoking marijuana in Montana has nearly tripled in the last 15 months. Marijuana use by drivers poses a serious risk to public health and public safety with 13% of Montana motorists involved in fatal crashes used marijuana. Read more.

December 20, 2010 CESAR Fax Shows Recent Increases in Drug Involvement Among Fatally Injured Drivers The latest CESAR Fax published by the University of Maryland, College Park shows that the percentage of fatally injured drivers testing positive for drugs has increased over the last five years. Each year between 56% and 65% of drivers fatally injured in motor vehicle crashes were tested for the presence of drugs in their systems. In 2009, 33% of drivers with known test results tested positive for at least one drug compared to 28% in 2005. In 2009 marijuana was the most prevalent drug found in this population. Approximately 28% of fatally injured drivers who tested positive were positive for marijuana. This data indicates that drugged driving remains a national and growing problem on the nation's roads. Read more.

December 14, 2010 The Compelling Traffic Safety Media Campaign of Victoria Australia The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) of the Australian province of Victoria has a long history of dynamic, graphic television ads related to traffic safety, including impaired driving. The first TAC commercial went to air in 1989 when there were 776 traffic fatalities. After 20 years, the number has fallen to 303. In a 20-year compilation of commercials, TAC delivers a clear holiday message to the public: Drive Safely. Impaired driving costs lives and these ads demonstrate Australia's leadership in delivering safety messages related to alcohol- and drug-impaired driving to the public. Compilation Ad. All TAC Victoria Ads.

December 7, 2010 Drugged Driver Crashes Killing Seven Cyclists in Italy Italian police have arrested a man after his car ploughed into a group of cyclists, killing seven and injuring four. The driver was driving without a license and blood tests showed he was driving under the influence of marijuana. The driver is being held under police guard in hospital on suspicion of manslaughter. Read more.

December 3, 2010 Presidential Proclamation Addresses Drugged Driving -- A National Priority In a presidential proclamation, President Barack Obama named the month of December National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. This proclamation coincides with the recent release by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) of new data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). While the number of drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes has declined over the past five years, the number of drivers positive for drugs has increased by 5%. Reducing drugged driving is now a national priority; this important goal and its related action steps will enhance and extend the vitally important drunk driving prevention efforts. Presidential Proclamation. Related Articles.

December 3, 2010 DWI Conviction for Cocaine Hangover Breaks New Ground in Prosecution of Drugged Drivers Prosecutors in Bergen County, New Jersey recently obtained a conviction against a man who was accused of driving with a "cocaine hangover" when he caused an accident that seriously injured another person. The driver had a blood-alcohol level of zero but tested positive for cocaine. This case reinforces the per se standard for illegal use where the presence of an illegal drug in a driver's body is an offense. A forensic toxicologist notes that being drunk or high on drugs is not the only way to be intoxicated further supporting the prosecution of the driver. This case also notes the importance of drug testing all drivers suspected of impaired driving. Read more.

November 30, 2010 One Third of Fatally Injured Drivers Recently Used Drugs A new report released by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that one third of all drug tests on drivers killed in motor vehicle accidents were positive for drugs in 2009. Although drug involvement does not imply driver impairment or indicate that drug use was the cause of the crash, the large presence of drugs among drivers is of great concern. Reducing drugged driving has been named a national priority for the United States and this data reflects the immense presence of both illegal and prescription drugs which can have impairing effects. Read more. Report.

November 24, 2010 Rates of Drugged Driving Increase in Alabama with Limited Enforcement Alabama law enforcement officials have seen an increase in driving under the influence cases involving drugs. Marijuana and prescription drugs are the top two drugs detected among drivers. Although saliva samples have been taken by drivers for testing and test results are accurate, the equipment used by enforcement is costly and state courts tend not to accept them, preferring urine and blood samples. Specially trained officers called Drug Recognition Experts (DRE) are used to detect drug impairment; however the screening process is long. Effective new testing strategies and laws must be implemented in states across the US to better detect drugged drivers to reduce drug use and keep the nation's roads safe. Read more.

October 28, 2010 BBC Features South Dakota's 24/7 Sobriety Project After using Xanax, a Las Vegas driver with a history of drug use passed out while driving, crashing into a bicyclist. The cyclist was dragged by the car and pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The driver plead guilty in July 2010 to driving under the influence of drugs causing death and was recently sentenced to prison. Prescription drugs whether used legally or illegally can cause impairment as can illegal drugs of abuse. Drivers must be held accountable to their dangerous drugged driving behaviors. Watch video. Read more.

October 27, 2010 Number of Teen Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes Drops A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the number of fatal crashes involving 16- and 17-year old drivers dropped by more than a third between 2004 and 2008. However, crashes still remain the leading cause of death for teens in the United States, though most are preventable. Graduating licensing programs can be partially credited with the recent decline in fatal crashes involving these young drivers. Parental involvement is also a key factor that can protect teen drivers. Read more.

October 15, 2010 Drugged Driver Using Xanax Kills Bicyclist, Sentenced to Prison After using Xanax, a Las Vegas driver with a history of drug use passed out while driving, crashing into a bicyclist. The cyclist was dragged by the car and pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The driver plead guilty in July 2010 to driving under the influence of drugs causing death and was recently sentenced to prison. Prescription drugs whether used legally or illegally can cause impairment as can illegal drugs of abuse. Drivers must be held accountable to their dangerous drugged driving behaviors. Read more.

September 23, 2010 Tour Driver Arrested for Impaired Driving After Smoking Pot Days Before Deadly Crash A tour bus driver smoked marijuana heavily for several days before falling asleep at the wheel and crashing in Utah, killing three Japanese tourists and injuring 11 other passengers. The 26 year-old driver was charged with 10 felony counts of negligent driving under the influence and one misdemeanor charge of having marijuana in his system. Utah has a per se drugged driving law which makes it illegal to have an illicit drug in a driver's system. Read more.

September 8, 2010 Medical Marijuana Café Owner Arrested for Drugged Driving A Michigan man and owner of a medical marijuana-friendly café was arrested for drugged driving after swerving across the center line and failing sobriety tests. The driver also had two pills which the arresting officer says was hashish; it is unclear whether hashish is legal under Michigan's medical marijuana law. Impaired driving due to use of marijuana, including medical marijuana, is a significant problem which must be addressed. Read more.

August 30, 2010 South Dakota's 24/7 Sobriety Project Is Saving Lives In Newsweek, Keith Humphreys, Ph.D. and Mark A.R. Kleiman, Ph.D. describe the 24/7 Sobriety Project in South Dakota, an innovative program for people convicted of repeat drunk-driving offenses. The full impact of the 4 year-old program is coming to light. While alcohol-related road deaths have held steady for a decade in other states, drunk-driving fatalities in South Dakota fell from twice the national average, 70, in 2006 to just 34 in 2008. In a follow-up article featured on The Reality-Based Community blog, Humphreys describes his 3-day trip observing the 24/7 Sobriety Project in action. The 24/7 Sobriety Project is a new paradigm for DWI offender management. Instead of trying to stop offenders from driving drunk which cannot be monitored effectively, this program sets the standard of no alcohol or drug use which can be monitored effectively using available alcohol and drug testing technology. Not only does the 24/7 Sobriety Project save lives, but it also is affordable and reduces prison costs Newsweek article. Blog article.

August 5, 2010 Drugs and Alcohol are a Deadly Mix Calvina Fay, the Executive Director of the Drug Free America Foundation Inc., published a outstanding letter to the editor of the St. Petersburg Times in response to a crash causing four fatalities due to a substance-impaired driver. Fay notes that although alcohol is the leading substance of abuse found among drivers in fatal DUI crashes, marijuana is the second most commonly found substance. Drugged driving is a growing national concern that must be addressed. Read more.

July 30, 2010 Trucker in Fatal Crash Under Influence of Marijuana Colorado police report that one of the truck drivers in a double-fatal crash in Commerce City last May was under the influence of marijuana. Due to marijuana intoxication, the driver lost his ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, resulting in the deadly crash. In a state where marijuana is legal for medical use, police are investigating whether the driver had a medical marijuana license. Medical marijuana poses an increased threat to highway safety and potential increases in rates of drugged driving. Read more.

July 15, 2010 One in 61 Drivers on Drugs in Victoria Australia New police figures reveal that one in every 61 drivers have tested positive for illicit drugs in Victoria, Australia. Since the random drug testing program was introduced in early 2005, more than 122,000 drivers have been tested and of those 2,000 were found to have used drugs. Results showed amphetamine was the most frequently detected drug (83%), followed by cannabis (29%) and ecstasy (15%). Read more.

July 12, 2010 Professional Race Driver Sarah Fisher Joins ONDCP and NHTSA to Raise Public Awareness of Drugged Driving Professional race driver Sarah Fisher joined Director Kerlikowske of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator David Strickland for a news conference on June 23, 2010 to raise public awareness of drugged driving on the nation's roadways. In addition to public education, ONDCP is working to increase the number of states with effective drugged driving laws. ONDCP is also working with NHTSA to increase training opportunities for law enforcement officers as well as with other Federal agencies to improve and standardize laboratory testing to detect drugged driving. Read more.

July 2, 2010 NFL Quarterback Arrested for Drugged Driving Police report that at a downtown Manhattan police checkpoint, backup Titans NFL quarterback Chris Simms slurred his words, had bloodshot eyes and smelled of marijuana and was arrested for impaired driving. Police checkpoints are just one of the important measures police take to improve public safety and to detect drugged driving. Though Simms is charged with a misdemeanor, penalties for drugged driving should be the same as those for drunk driving. Read more.

June 7, 2010 The Involvement of Marijuana in California Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes In a new research paper, California data on drivers involved in passenger vehicle fatal crashes using marijuana were analyzed to determine the impact on traffic safety and to provide information on the possible impact of an initiative, the Tax and Regulate Cannabis Initiative (TC2010) which is on the California ballot in November 2010 to reform and partially legalize marijuana. Researchers found that for the five years following the establishment of the Medical Marijuana Program in 2004, there were 1,240 fatalities in fatal crashes, compared to 631 fatalities for the five years prior, for an increase of almost 100%. Authors also concluded that if TC2010 passes, the estimated annual tax income on marijuana of $1.4 billion will pale in comparison to an estimated $4 billion or more in economic loss from marijuana-related fatal crashes. Read more. Read Press Release.

June 1, 2010 High School Senior Driver in Hit-and-Run Tests Positive for Marijuana Toxicology reports show New Trier High School teen Erin Hughes had marijuana in her system, but no other illegal substances or alcohol at the time of a hit-and-run that seriously injured another student in Illinois. More drug testing has been ordered. This incident is another example of drugged driving and its serious consequences to public health and safety Read more.

May 20, 2010 National Institute on Drug Abuse Focuses on Drugged Driving The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) held a meeting entitled Drugged Driving: Future Research Directions on March 19, 2010. NIDA released the meeting summary which describes presentations made by leaders in drug policy and in drugged driving. The Institute for Behavior and Health has teamed with NIDA to write a White Paper on what is known today about the problem of drugged driving and to develop recommendations for new research to fill the most policy-relevant gaps in knowledge. Read Meeting Summary.

May 17, 2010 National Drug Control Strategy Names Reducing Drugged Driving As Key Demand Reduction Strategy The National Drug Control Strategy released by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy identifies preventing drugged driving as a new national priority on the same scale as preventing drunk driving. Proposed actions include encouraging states to adopt per se legislation, expand drugged driving research efforts, improve drugged driving prevention and education, train law enforcement to identify drugged drivers, and develop standardized procedures for drug-testing laboratories to accurately detect the presence of drugs. Per se drugged driving laws make it a criminal offense to operate a vehicle with any detectable level of illegal drugs in a driver's body, the standard used successfully for 12 million commercial drivers in the U.S. for more than two decades. Development of data systems to assess rates of drugged driving will enhance both education and prevention and provide ways to assess the success of these new efforts over time. Read IBH Commentary. Read National Strategy.

April 13, 2010 South Dakota 24/7 Sobriety Project Featured in Highway to Justice An article on South Dakota's 24/7 Sobriety Project, the innovative court-based management program for DUI offenders, was recently featured in the first American Bar Association (ABA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) newsletter of 2010. Co-authors include IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D., Judge and Former Attorney General of South Dakota Larry Long, and Stephen K. Talpins, CEO of the National Partnership on Alcohol Misuse and Crime. Read more.

March 29, 2010 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Drug-Impaired Driving Report to Congress The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a report to Congress entitled, Drug-Impaired Driving - Understanding the Problem and Ways to Reduce It, in accordance with the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA). The report summarizes a series of studies undertaken by NHTSA on prevention, detection, and prosecution of driving under the influence of drugs; issues associated with determining what drugs impair driving; difficulties in relating blood levels of drugs and impairment; lack of information about what drugs are frequently used by drivers and what drugs elevate crash risk; problems in obtaining representative data about current enforcement, prosecution and adjudication of drug-impaired driving; training for law enforcement officers in recognizing drug-impaired drivers; review of drug-Impaired driving laws, and what is known about the role of drugs as causal factors in traffic crashes. It highlights the need for further research and concludes with recommendations to better address the problem of drug-impaired driving. Read more.

March 12, 2010 Evidence on Cannabis Impairment and Flying Cannabis and Flying which documents cannabis impairment in pilots. Four different studies tracked the level of impairment in pilots as they participated in flying simulations. Cannabis impairment lasted up to 24 hours after smoking. This review has serious implications for dealing with cannabis-related drugged driving and efforts to legalize the drug. It is clear that marijuana has a dangerous impairing effect on users. Read more.

March 9, 2010 Drug-Impaired Driving Due to Prescription Drug Use Stephen K. Talpins, Chief Executive Officer of the National Partnership on Alcohol Misuse and Crime (NPAMC) and IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D., discuss the problem of drug-impaired driving due to prescription drug use in a new IBH commentary. Authors also offer suggestions for how to reduce this ongoing public health and safety problem with a combination of education and law enforcement. Read more.

February 4, 2010 New Study Shows Tough Laws and Treatment are Top Deterrents Against DUI Offenders A University of Montana study that targeted repeat DUI offenders shows that tougher laws and chemical dependency treatment are the strongest deterrents to chronic drunken driving. In Montana where a DUI becomes a felony after the fourth offense, felony DUI offenders say that penalties for initial DUIs are not tough enough. Read more. Read the full report.

February 4, 2010 Europe Takes Lead in Study of Drugged Driving through the DRUID Project of the European Commission In 2003, the European road safety program estimated that over 40,000 people were dying on Europe's roads every year. The program set the ambitious target of cutting the number of road deaths in Europe in half by the end of 2010. The European Commission's DRUID (Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines) project, which provides scientific support to this target, also comes to a close. DRUID is a 5-year study which brings together 37 institutes from 19 European countries. It aims to close the gap that exists in the knowledge about traffic safety in relation to the use of psychoactive drugs and to formulate recommendations for both official policies and practical measures. Read more.

January 20, 2010 Office of National Drug Control Policy Update Features Drugged Driving The new ONDCP Update reports that ONDCP has made reducing drug-impaired driving a priority for 2010 and, as part of the Obama Administration's soon-to-be-released National Drug Control Strategy, is working with the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Justice, and others on new initiatives aimed at getting drug-impaired drivers off the road. Read more.

January 8, 2010 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Releases State-by-State Analysis of Laws Dealing With Driving Under the Influence of Drugs This study by reviewed each State statute regarding drug-impaired driving as of December 2008. There is a high degree of variability across the States in the ways they approach drug-impaired driving. Current laws in many States contain provisions making it difficult to identify, prosecute, or convict drug-impaired drivers. Read more.

December 30, 2009 BH Addresses the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2010-2015 Long Range Strategic Planning IBH President Robert L. DuPont, M.D. along with Barry K. Logan, Ph.D., Stephen K. Talpins, J.D., and J. Michael Walsh, Ph.D. responded to NHTSA's request for comment to its long range strategic plans related to drugged driving. These experts describe their recommendations for drugged driving efforts related to public education, enforcement, drug testing, prosecution, courtroom testimony, laws, sentencing, research, and future-based technology. Read more.

December 4, 2009 Presidential Proclamation Announces December as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month In a recent proclamation announcing December, 2009 as the National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, President Barack Obama recognizes the growing problem of drugged driving. Addressing impaired driving, due to drugs and/or alcohol, is a drug policy priority of the Obama Administration. Read more.

November 22, 2009 Cracking Down on Drunken Driving in New York State New York State recently passed a new law to address drunk driving, making it a felony to drive while intoxicated with a child in the vehicle and mandating the use of ignition interlock devices for convicted drunk drivers. IBH supports efforts to reduce drunk driving but encourages states like New York to not overlook the issue of drugged driving. Inspired by recent alcohol and drug-related fatal car crashes, new policies and laws need to include drug use in their definitions of intoxication and prosecute drugged drivers along with drunk drivers. Read more.

November 19, 2009 High Rates of Drugged Driving: Implications for Legalizing Marijuana The California Assembly Committee on Public Safety held a meeting on October 28, 2009 which focused on public safety issues related to legalizing marijuana. A press conference was held immediately prior to this meeting, at which a press release issued by the Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc. was read. IBH does not support the legalization of marijuana. The high rate of drugged driving in the U.S. is just one of the many reasons why legalizing marijuana would threaten public safety.Read more.

October 9, 2009 New Police Program for Testing Drunk Driving Officers in Texas and Idaho are undergoing a training program for a new means of testing drunken or drugged driving suspects. This program would allow officers to draw blood from drunken driving suspects. The program seeks to determine whether such practices will be effective in prosecuting drunk drivers and decreasing such occurrences.Read more.

October 6, 2009 Sedatives Included in New Zealand Drink-Driving Act The New Zealand Land Transport Amendment Act of 2009 which passed in June created a new offense for drivers impaired by drugs and introduced compulsory testing for suspected drugged drivers and allowed blood testing for drugs. The government is now bringing forward legislation on drugged driving which will include some sedatives and anti-anxiety medications. Read more.

October 2, 2009 Drug Use Continues to be Significant Danger to Public Health; Overdose Deaths Outnumber Traffic Deaths in 16 States A new report from the Centers for Disease Control puts the enormity of drug deaths into perspective by comparing them to the widely appreciated number of traffic deaths each year. The report shows that more people have died from drug overdoses than traffic deaths in 16 states. The national rate of traffic deaths fell 6.5% since 1999 while overdose deaths nearly doubled in that time. Prescription drugs play a critical role in the number of overdoses and IBH connects this finding to both national drug policy and the role of drugged driving in traffic deaths. Read more.

September 28, 2009 Massachusetts Senator Seeks to Close Drugged Driving Loophole The Massachusetts law which decriminalized marijuana has left a loophole allowing drivers to possess small amounts of marijuana in their vehicles. Senator Scott Brown will bring new legislation to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary to make it illegal for any driver of any age to have marijuana in a car, much like an open container of alcohol. Read more.

September 24, 2009 European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction's New Website Focuses on Drugged Driving EMCDDA launched a newly updated website highlighting drugged driving. The site tracks related projects in the European Union (EU), publications, news and other online resources dealing with drugged driving. Among the website's additions is the latest issue of the Drugs in focus entitled, "Responding to drug driving in Europe." In it, EMCDDA calls for evidence-based and enforceable drugged driving laws and outlines key issues for policymakers and researchers. Read more.

September 23, 2009 Mandatory Alcohol Testing Associated with Reduction in Alcohol-Related Fatal Crashes Among Commercial Drivers Researchers determined the risk of alcohol involvement in fatal crashes among commercial drivers from 1982 through 2006 by comparing the rates of fatal crashes before and after the mandatory alcohol testing program. There was a 23% reduction in fatal crashes that involved alcohol among commercial drivers during the period of testing. Surprisingly this study does not contain data on the relationship of the use of other drugs in fatal crashes even though drug tests are included for a very good reason: drugged driving is a major problem for commercial drivers, as it is for all drivers. Read more.

August 28, 2009 New Study Shows Heavy Use of Marijuana Negatively Impacts Neurocognitive Performance After 28 Day Abstinence: Implications for Drugged Driving Enforcement and Policy How long does marijuana-induced impairment last after marijuana use stops for heavy users? A new study in the journal, Neurology, shows that for a group of heavy marijuana users, cognitive impairment persisted for at least 28 days after use stopped. This study lays a solid foundation for drug-related public safety policies, including drugged driving policies, because it shows the long-lasting negative effects of heavy marijuana use on brain function. Read more.

August 27, 2009 Drugged driving becomes a national priority in the United Kingdom: New education campaign sets precedent for United States The United Kingdom's Department for Transport (DfT) recently launched a £2.3 million campaign to address drugged driving. Entitled THINK! Drug Drive, this campaign reinforces key educational, legal, and policy messages to the public. Read more.

June 23, 2009 Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act Up For Reauthorization One of the provisions of this 2005 legislation called for the development of a national drugged driving policy, increased funds for drugged driving research, and authorization for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a model state statute on drugged driving to encourage states to adopt per se laws. Unfortunately DOT requested a continuation by Congress each ensuing year and nothing resulted. Now SAFE-TEA is up for re-authorization in 2009. This language must be preserved in the 2009 legislation, and preferably, modified. IBH has suggested language for the reauthorization. Comprehensive information on SAFE-TEA can be found at the Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration: Read more.

May 15, 2009 NASCAR Implements Random Drug Testing Policy for All Drivers In 2009, NASCAR began implementing its first mandatory drug testing policy. However, NASCAR has not released a list of banned substances to drivers claiming it would provide more leeway. With safety at the root of the issue, National Public Radio's All Things Considered consults sportswriter Stefan Fatsis to examine this issue. Read more.

October 9, 2008 South Africa Drivers Face Saliva Tests Drinking and driving has always been a no-no, but soon motorists stopped at roadblocks around Cape Town will be saliva-tested on top of standard breathalyzer tests, to detect instantly the presence of illegal narcotics. Read more.

October 3, 2008 Drug Driver Deaths in New Zealand Up 50% in the Last Decade Police statistics released to Candor Trust under the Official Information Act show that in the June 2006 - July 2007 year, 59 pot drivers died in (27% of 219 dead drivers tested). Constituting a 50% rise in numbers dying on roads under the influence of cannabis, on a decade ago. In 1998 only 40 drivers were typically killed after cannabis use. Read more.

August 29, 2008 Congress Passes Strict Drugged Driving Law in Peru Congressional representatives in Peru unanimously approved laws to change the punishment for motorists in Peru who are caught driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, establishing that anyone caught driving under the influence of these substances would receive between 2 and 4 years in prison. Modifications to laws also establish that if a drugged driver is providing transportation for one or more passengers, jail time may increase to 4 to 6 years. Read more.

May 18, 2008 A Third of Young Motorists Have Driven While on Drugs Ireland's Independent reveals that almost one in three young drivers drove under the influence of drugs and many drivers blatantly ignore speed limits. About 30% of those under the age of 24 drove under the influence of recreational drugs in their lifetime and almost one in five of drivers under 35 reported driving while stoned. Read more.

March 5, 2008 Crashes vs. Congestion - What's the Cost to Society? The societal cost of crashes is a staggering $164.2 billion annually, nearly two and a half times greater than the $67.6 billion price tag for congestion, according to a new report released today by AAA. Read more.

February 29, 2008 New Booze Buses to Test Drugged Drivers For the first time in New Zealand, police are able to use a booze bus to test and process drugged drivers. Read more.

June 16, 2007 The Drugged Driving Epidemic More than three dozen men, women and children were hurt at a Southeast Washington DC festival in June 2007 by a driver high on crack cocaine. Two days later, another allegedly drug-addicted driver crashed into a crowd of students at a bus stop in La Plata, Maryland, injuring four individuals. Authored by Robert L. DuPont, M.D. and Michael Walsh, Ph.D., this Washington Post article evaluates the status of the drugged driving epidemic. Read more.