Proponents of a bill to change forensics tests for drivers suspected of being high on marijuana told the Nevada Assembly Judiciary Committee on Friday that the proposed law is more scientifically accurate.
Assembly Bill 135 would eliminate urine tests for marijuana and change the marijuana metabolite that forensic technicians look for in blood samples.
It is simply updating the law with scientific facts, Tuoro University Nevada student doctor Graham Lambert told the committee.
Nevada law defines marijuana impairment for drivers as a person who has a certain amount of marijuana and marijuana metabolite in their urine or blood.
But the metabolite that most of the states forensics labs look for, Carboxy THC, does not have a psychoactive effect and has been shown to stay in the body for extended periods of time, Lambert said.
Proponents of the measure argued that police labs should test for the marijuana compounds that do affect the brain, Delta-9 THC and the metabolite 11-Hydroxy THC. Urine tests for marijuana would be eliminated because these psychoactive compounds are not present enough in urine.
A provision that instructed police labs to test saliva as well was met with resistance by state law enforcement agencies. The Washoe County Sheriffs Office reported that it would cost the agency more than $1 million to set up saliva testing.
An amendment discussed Friday removed the saliva provision, and police dropped their opposition.
Several medical marijuana patient advocates opposed the measure, saying that the bill does not go far enough. They said statutory thresholds for marijuana impairment measured in the blood as 2 ng/mL of marijuana or 5 ng/mL of metabolite also need to be changed because marijuana patients could meet those thresholds long after use.
Committee Chairman Steve Yeager, D-Las Vegas, said the measure would not affect those thresholds.
No action was taken.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Bill Would Change Testing For Marijuana DUI In Nevada
Author: Wesley Juhl
Contact: 702-383-0211
Photo Credit: Thinkstock
Website: Las Vegas Review-Journal
