A member of a Facebook group opposing random roadside drug testing says it has enough support to change the outcome of the election in the federal seat of Page.
The group, called nth coast RDT locations has garnered more than 5000 members since it launched mid last year.
One of the group’s members, who identified himself as Richard Stark, says he plans write to the federal candidates in the seats of Richmond and Page asking whether they support RDT.
But he said the seat of Page offered the greatest hope of either changing the mind of the sitting member or changing the member entirely.
‘Page has less than 100,000 voters and needs a swing of less five per cent to unseat Kevin Hogan (Nationals), so thousands of people in his electorate who are sufficiently pissed off to joint this FB page represent a sizeable minority,’ Mr Stark told Echonetdaily.
He cited several US studies that showed marijuana levels made little difference to the likelihood of drivers to have an accident.
‘The two most definitive investigations into the effect of cannabis on driving, the American Automobile Association’s research and the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s research, have comprehensively dismissed the methods introduced by the National Party in northern New South Wales,’ Mr Stark said.
‘Marshall Doney, AAA’s president and CEO says “There is understandably a strong desire by both lawmakers and the public to create legal limits for marijuana impairment in the same manner we do alcohol. In the case of marijuana, this approach is flawed and not supported by scientific research.”
‘The NHTSA report concludes “Analyses incorporating adjustments for age, gender, ethnicity, and alcohol concentration level did not show a significant increase in levels of crash risk associated with the presence of drugs (cannabis).”
‘In short, there is no evidence, scientific or otherwise, that minute traces of cannabis effects driving,’ Mr Stark said.
He added that members of the Facebook group were ‘outraged that people can be fined hundreds of dollars and lose their licence for six months for something that has zero effect on their driving.’
‘And, in an area with limited public transport, cause them to lose their jobs and possibly their homes or, even worse, stop sick people from getting medical help.’
Mr Stark described the RDT campaign as ‘a grave injustice that [politicians] should decry’ citing 84 per cent of respondents in a recent north coast newspaper survey stated that they didn’t feel any safer as a result of the current police traffic blitz.
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A voting guide for dummies
Still haven't made your mind up who to vote for yet? Well, crawl out from whatever rock you've been hiding under and pay some fricking attention. It's really quite simple. Just match your ideology with one of these political parties and away you go.
I dont want to share the the roads with any drug affected driver.
You already share the road with people affected by sleeping tablets, tranquillises and allergy medicines many of which say on the pack “Don’t use heavy machinery, may cause drowsiness etc.” To say nothing of heroin, cocaine, barbiturates and other drugs that the price don’t bother testing for. I don’t want to be on the road with drug affected drivers either but the cannabis you had last week is going to affect you.
RJS
“I don’t want to share the roads with any drug affected driver.” Given the context of the article, this comment by cris exemplifies the blinkered, bigoted view promoted by media hacks and establishment lackeys, ie. those who are incapable of thinking for themselves and need to parrot whatever message they think meets with approval from their superiors. Anyone capable of thinking for themselves can see the absurdity of comments like the one provided for us here by cris. Personally, I’m far more concerned about sharing the roads with bullies, thugs and goons who can assail you on a whim and violate your rights with impunity.
This RDT is a State issue and it shows the lack of common knowledge by, obviously, drugged spokespersons.
Yes, that’s right Walda, this is a federal election but the candidates for this election belong to the same parties that control the NSW elections.
Sheer rubbish, of course any kind of drug has a deleterious effect on driving. Or maybe all the experts are wrong.
Sheer rubbish indeed, Joe. Shows how much you know about drugs. Some drugs are performance enhancing. That is why many sporting authorities test for drugs. Not all drugs impair performance. The effect of drugs varies from drug to drug. You make the error of over generalization by claiming “any kind of drug has a deleterious effect on driving.” You need to understand that the deleterious effect of alcohol is clearly established with scientific studies and empirical evidence. But not so for marijuana or speed or ecstacy or cocaine. The drug testing regime is based on ignorance, bigotry and prejudice, not reason, logic or evidence.
Go hard all the way and after you make the changes let me know I will have nice law suit on my hands as it can take up to 1 to two weeks to test positive for pot and the effects only last for 6 to 8 hours maximum , shows my point that even if you test positive your not actually breaking the law as you were not under the effects it’s the same with drinking you can drink but they have a way to measure the effects and level unlike the drug tests that just show up positive or negative
Read my reply to Cris.
RJS
if you all are sick of the RDT vote 1 { marijuana }Australian H.E.M.P party….only if you want to stop of this nonsense.