Road Side Drug Testing Project Approved By Senate Panel

[bobandtorey]

LANSING — A bill that would authorize the Michigan State Police to set up a roadside drug testing pilot program in three Michigan counties is on its way to the Senate after getting unanimous support in a Senate committee Tuesday afternoon.

The bill, inspired by the fatal car crash that killed Thomas and Barbara Smith in the Upper Peninsula in 2013, would allow police officers to take both a breathalyzer and a saliva sample during a traffic stop to determine if a person is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The man who was driving the logging truck that hit the Swifts, both 73-years-old, was found to have marijuana in his system. He was found guilty and sentenced to “a measly five years in prison,” the Swift’s son Brian Swift told committee members.

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“We remain committed to change the law or build on existing ones,” Swift said. “We loved our mom and dad and don’t want other families to deal with the nightmare we have had to deal with.”

House Fiscal analysts determined the one-year pilot program would cost between $30,000 and $50,000. The drug testing kits could identify six different controlled substances, including THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. The Michigan State Police would set up the pilot program and determine which counties would be involved in the project.

The bill — SB 434 — moves to the full Senate for consideration.

 

http://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2015/10/06/road-side-drug-testing-project-approved-senate-panel/73475214/

[garyfisher]

wahoooo!  These are SUPER accurate.

http://www.echo.net.au/2015/07/a-third-of-regions-drivers-test-false-positive-after-roadside-swipes/

[cristinew]

The trucker had might of smoked  4 days before the accident  maybe?  He claimed it was second hand smoke ,WOW   what a republican police state,,  This sure seems like a constitutional breach of search  with out a cause,  Anyway  republicans can get the 50 grand from some school ,

[cristinew]

And they  the old people pulled out in front of the truck  , They were at fault  and should never even been driving , 

[t-pain]

http://lansingcitypulse.com/article-12277-pilot-program-for-roadside-marijuana-checks-proposed.html

 

Senate Bill 434: http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2015-SB-0434

[+Malamute]

Fuk the Police.

 

:-)

 

This test is inaccurate and not presentable in court. They still need a blood test. And for patients they still have to prove under the influence.

[+Malamute]

Also, AFAIK, this swab test detects active and inactive THC?

 

Inactive THC is not illegal to have in your system according tot he MSC.  Is that a problem in and of itself?

 

Not sure on those, just bringing it up.

[budpuffer]

what a shame...how do these fools get in office?...oh that's right other fools vote them in...when will we learn?..i don't care if the trucker had just smoked a joint, he didn't do anything wrong...if anything the person who approved the old folks license should go to jail for putting the rest of us at risk..  we should have a minimum ability driving law where if somebody fails because they're too old,tired,stoned, then they get a ticket, not because you smoked a joint 3 days ago...i know i can drive better then 83 year old ms.doe even with a buzz on.../bp

[bobandtorey]

A quick swab from the inside of your mouth could help Michigan State Police determine whether you're driving under the influence of illegal drugs.

Special First Lieutenant David Kaiser, PIO for Michigan State Police says, "It's using science and technology that is available to us and it should streamline the process."

Its part of a pilot program MSP plans to roll out later this year.

Trained officers will give the saliva based roadside drug test in addition to a 12-step evaluation.

Kaiser says, "The test drug recognition experts do are everything from taking a blood pressure, looking at your respiration, looking at your pupil sizes to see whether they're pin-pointed or dilated."

Five counties will test out the program and they're expected to be finalized this summer.

"Counties will be picked based on the number of traffic crashes in these counties, the number of people arrested for drinking or driving under the influence of drugs and also the number of drug recognition experts in each one of these counties," said Kaiser.

Some people think it's great.

Tyson Updike says, "It might save lives you know you might have someone on heroin smack into a car and kill a four-year-old so better safe than sorry."

Others don't like the idea at all.

"It sounds like it's invading your privacy and rights like it sounds like you don't have any rights anymore people can just come up and saliva test you. That does not seem cool," said Emmanuel Aubrey.

Governor Rick Snyder signed the bill into law in June.

The Barbara J. and Thomas J. law is named after a couple who was killed in 2013 by a man convicted of driving a tractor-trailer under the influence of drugs.

 

http://nbc25news.com/news/local/msp-to-do-roadside-drug-testing-in-five-counties-under-new-law

[trichcycler]

does leo get their mouths swabbed after they shoot civilians,  maim a sleeping kid or choke a man to death?  

[kindfolk]

have they released the names of the 5 counties that will be participating?

KF

[Alphabob]

These swabs are less accurate than those $2 pouch tests discussed in another thread. The only thing they will be streamlining is sending innocent people to jail and impounding their cars. What if you’re on Dronabinol or Marinol? With my run in with LEO and DRE, I told them I had taken some earlier in the day; they said “I’m not a doctor, so I don’t know anything about that”. How many people take those prescription drugs in Michigan alone?

 

In their efforts to target medical marijuana patients, they are also targeting many individuals who take schedule II/III prescription drugs that either directly or indirectly react with these tests. I’m surprised there is no organized effort against this bill; it has barely been mentioned in the media so far beyond LEOs and Jone’s lies about there being ‘science’.

 

These are at the top of the list IMO:

1. Wayne

2. Oakland

3. Macomb

4. Kent

5. Genesee

6. Ingham

7. Ottawa

 

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/msp/2015_YearEnd_Crash_Report_for_Web_524040_7.pdf

[Indigro]

does leo get their mouths swabbed after they shoot civilians, maim a sleeping kid or choke a man to death?

Think its more like 2wks paid vacation

[bobandtorey]

have they released the names of the 5 counties that will be participating?

KF

 

I'm not sure but i was in Lansing when they where talking about witch counties it would be and am guessing they will be the top ones Oakland, Macomb, will be on the list and 3 others 

 

Things our going to change money and Lawyers will need to get on top of this one sooner then later Imho