State officials maintain that marijuana can affect reaction time, hand-eye coordination, concentration and perception of time and distance. Just like alcohol, people driving while impaired by marijuana can receive a DUI, and a few did last year.
With the legalization of retail marijuana starting on Jan. 1, 2014, Col. Scott Hernandez, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, ordered his agency to track the number of marijuana-related citations issued. According to CSP, a total of 5,546 citations were issued for driving under the influence or with impaired ability. Of those, 674, or 12.2 percent, involved marijuana and another drug. Fewer citations, 354 - 6.3 percent of the total, or about 1 in 16 - involved only marijuana.
"From the perspective of law enforcement, the legalization of recreational marijuana hasn't changed the DUI law," said Hernandez. "If you drive high, you will get a DUI."
After launching its "Drive High, Get a DUI" campaign, a Colorado Department of Transportation study revealed that 21 percent of the state's recreational marijuana consumers were unaware that they could be issued a citation. More than half of those surveyed said they drove within two hours of using marijuana.
"We won't be satisfied until everyone in Colorado takes driving high seriously, so the need for awareness and education is paramount," said CDOT spokesperson Amy Ford.
In addition to driving impaired, it's also illegal to consume or display marijuana on any public roadway, to have marijuana in the passenger area of a vehicle in an open container, a container with a broken seal or to have evidence marijuana has been consumed.
The CSP has more than 540 troopers trained in Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and 61 trained as Drug Recognition Experts (DRE).
Colorado law requires any driver to consent to a chemical test if a police officer has reasonable grounds to believe the person is driving under the influence or their ability to operate a motor vehicle is impaired because of alcohol, drugs or both.
According to state police, the public played a large role in assisting troopers, as 3 in 4 of all DUI/DUID citations issued last year were the result of proactive motorist contacts.
CSP officials report that January, April and December were the three highest months for citations involving marijuana usage.
tbaker@cortezjournal.com