Addiction and the Law
Alcohol Isn’t the Only Drug Found in Recent Fatal Car Crashes
According to a recent study published by the government, drivers in the United States who were pulled over randomly and stopped on roadways, were found to have drugs in their systems 14% of the time. In fact, the use of drugs was nearly twice that among those involved in deadly crashes. The message remains simple to the public in general: “Don’t drink or consume drugs when you know you are going to drive,” says Eduardo Romano, Ph.D., and lead author of a recent study.
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Study Examines Brain Reaction in DUI Repeat Offenders
More than 30 years ago, the public was made aware of a growing crisis on American roads. Too many people were drinking more than their fair share of alcoholic beverages and then getting behind the wheel of a car. In too many situations, the individual did not have the capacity to safely operate the vehicle and the result was a crash that was often deadly. Sadly, the victims in such situations were rarely those who chose to drink and drive.
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Women Arrested for Drunk Driving Increases While Men Take More Care
For those women who are striving for greater equality between the sexes, women are definitely gaining on men in one key area: arrests for drunken driving. According to a Chicago Tribune story, women are racing to catch up to men in DUI arrests, who still greatly outnumber women.
With this gap still in place, how is equality making a change? The number of arrests for men is declining, while the number of arrests for women is steadily rising. As Gail D’Onofrio, chairwoman of the emergency medicine department at Yale School of Medicine stated, “We’ve come a long way, baby, and this is not a good way.”
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Intervention Method May Help Curb Drunk Driving
Driving while intoxicated is not only illegal, it also puts the life of the driver and everyone else on the road at risk. The biggest problem on the road today is DWI recidivists, or those who re-offend. Many of these individuals fail to participate in mandated alcohol-evaluation and intervention programs or continue to drink problematically after their license has been re-issued.
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Mexico Legalizes Possessing Small Amounts of Drugs; Encourages Treatment
Mexico enacted a controversial law today that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs while encouraging government-financed treatment for addiction free of charge.
The Associated Press reports that the law sets out maximum “personal use” amounts for drugs, also including LSD and methamphetamine. People detained with those quantities will no longer face criminal prosecution.
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Australian Police to Use Twitter to Target Drunk Driving
Australian police announced that they will begin using Twitter, a popular micro-blogging service, to discourage drunk driving among young people. Victoria state police deputy commissioner Ken Lay said he would post “embarrassingly boozy breath readings” recorded during traffic operations in an attempt to make people think twice about drinking and driving.
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Groups Oppose Pro-Marijuana Ads, Detailing Dangers of the Drug
While a pro-marijuana group is launching an ad to encourage California legislators to legalize and tax the drug as a means of revenue, opponents want to remind the public that people under 18 who have used the drug are more likely to move on to harder-hitting drugs, putting 51 percent of California’s young people at risk.
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OxyContin Addiction & the Law
Each type of substance abuse and addiction offers its own set of legal risks. Alcoholics run the risk of a DUI, which could lead to criminal charges or a costly personal injury suit. Illegal substance abusers, such as cocaine or heroin addicts, must always be vigilant for undercover drug enforcement agents when buying from a dealer. However, what are the legal ramifications for someone addicted to a prescription drug, such as OxyContin, the brand name of time-release oxycodone?
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