Too bad the Tribune writer covering the growing drug DUI prosecutions made so little effort to be thorough.
What he fails to point out is that many drugs and medications including the ones mentioned in the article, marijuana and Oxycodone, remain in your body in an inactive state long beyond the time of use and long beyond any point of impairment.
It’s good for the prosecutor’s business to point a finger at drug abusers like Whitney Houston, but your neighbor who had a tooth pulled last week and took painkillers for a day or two is just as likely to be arrested in Mesa for DUI because the drug is still in his system. Our laws state that it is illegal to have certain drugs in your body and operate a vehicle, including marijuana which can remain for 30 days or more after use, long beyond any question of impairment.
So what the article really says is that the prosecutor knows this and the city is cashing in on lab tests to collect fines from people who are not impaired or a Whitney-like threat to our safety.
Perhaps what is needed is for the law to be changed, not more taxpayer-funded lab facilities.
To be fair and thorough, the writer might perhaps have interviewed a defense attorney to get the other side of the story.
Teri Cann
Mesa
Leon Ceniceros posted at 1:23 pm on Wed, Jul 25, 2012.
A LITTLE ...."REALITY CHECK".....PLEASE !!!
I DON'T THINK WE ARE TALKING ABOUT....AUNT HELEN WHO HAD THE LAST MOLAR IN HER MOUTH YANKED OUT.
OR THE "SOCCER MOM" ON COLD OF FLU MEDICINE.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE GUY OR GAL WITH THE "POT PIPE", THE LITTLE PLASTIC BAGGIES AND THE SYRINGES IN THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. THE SUSPECT WITH THE TATTOOES AND BODY PIERCINGS COVERING 99% OF THEIR BODY. THE ONES DRIVING AROUND WITH A .....MARIJUANA PLANT BUMPER STICKER THAT SAYS...."DOPE CURES"...OR....."WILLIE NELSON FOR PRESIDENT".
GOOD TRY THOUGH....KIND OF SOME......."OFF THE WALL" DEFENSE FROM ...THAT NEW COMEDY SIT-COM......"FRANKLIN AND BASH"......[beam]
fae4now posted at 2:14 pm on Wed, Jul 25, 2012.
Leon,
Re-read the article, carefully this time. There are multiple references to LEGALLY prescribed medications that are illegal to have in your system while driving.
So your Aunt Helen is indeed subject to a DUI if her body still harbors traces of the painkillers she took.
It would be interesting to know what drugs were involved in the 1358 arrests made in Mesa in 2011 (again, referenced in the original article)
Engaged Voter posted at 4:22 pm on Wed, Jul 25, 2012.
Reading comprehension is so underrated these days.
Kids, pay attention, or you too might wind up like poor Leon.
Engaged Voter posted at 4:24 pm on Wed, Jul 25, 2012.
Oh, and here, Leon, your hero Willie Nelson will be here soon:
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/get_out/article_8e2815e2-d5de-11e1-920d-001a4bcf887a.html
Make sure you have your "GIT OFF MY LAWN" protest sign ready!
PeacefulCat posted at 10:10 am on Thu, Jul 26, 2012.
Thank everyone except Leon