With recreational pot becoming legal in New
York, health officials are expressing concern that there will be more people on
the roads driving high.
Experts say each person's
body reacts differently to the chemicals in marijuana.
Police tell News 12 that pot should be treated
like alcohol, with sobriety tests being used to check drivers.
As for crashes, some studies show no increase
after marijuana was legalized - while others found the opposite.
A top AAA official
says education is key. "There
needs to be a rigorous public education campaign not only for youngsters but
also for the general public...there is a need for more
DREs (drug recognition
experts). All the revenue that comes from
marijuana sales, we want more police to be trained as drug recognition
experts," says Robert Sinclair Jr., of AAA Northeast.
Breathalyzer-like devices that measure THC, the
psycho-active ingredient in marijuana, are in various stages of development.