Justin Chenette
  • Bio
  • Commissioner
  • State Govt
  • Projects
    • Speaker
    • Author
    • Consulting Firm
    • Age Friendly Saco
    • Southern Maine Planning & Development Commission
  • Scholarships
  • News
  • Contact

MPBN: Committee Seeks Bill to Charge Drivers Under Influence of Pot

1/31/2016

0 Comments

 
AUGUSTA, Maine — Concerned about the risks posed by motorists under the influence of marijuana, members of the legislature’s criminal justice committee want to formally take up the matter through legislation.

Some lawmakers on the panel would like to know more about what the drug’s blood-level limit should be in order to satisfy a charge of operating under the influence of marijuana.
Like alcohol impairment, marijuana impairment can’t be determined unless it’s based on blood testing and turns up a certain level of THC, the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana. Last year a study group that tried to determine what that level should be couldn’t agree on a standard.

Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap says opinions on that point vary, but that the majority of the working group settled on five nanograms.

“The seven versus five nanogram threshold, there was not agreement on this,” Dunlap says. “The majority of the group was comfortable with the five nanogram, there were some that felt that five was too low of a threshold given the metabolizing effect of THC in how long it lingers in the system beyond having an intoxicating effect.”
​
Members of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee think it’s important to settle this question. And State Rep. Justin Chenette, a Saco Democrat, says competing views are best analyzed through the legislative process and supported a joint order to create a bill.

“What we’re supporting is a joint order to report out a bill to at least have a public conversation, have the public before this horseshoe, to have these conversations,” Chenette says. “It is by no means a reflection of whether or not we support the final outcome.”

Some marijuana legalization advocates say any proposed bill will have to distinguish recreational pot users from medical marijuana patients.
By A.J. HIGGINS
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Latest Updates


    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    September 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    January 2021
    August 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    RSS Feed

Picture
Email:
justinchenette@gmail.com
Paid for & Authorized by Justin Chenette
  • Bio
  • Commissioner
  • State Govt
  • Projects
    • Speaker
    • Author
    • Consulting Firm
    • Age Friendly Saco
    • Southern Maine Planning & Development Commission
  • Scholarships
  • News
  • Contact