TECHNOLOGY able to determine the influence of marijuana on a driver has been used for the first time in a Victorian court.
(Ed. note: Not really, what the article says is just that the blood levels of some component or metabolite of cannabis was detected. That could not establish how much influence that it had on the driver at the time of the accident. Not only do different people react differently to different levels of all substances, but people have accidents without using any substances. Cannabis may or may not have been a factor, but this test does not prove that it was the cause.)

Cameron Hilliard Brown was found guilty this week by a County Court jury of one count of culpable driving relating to an accident at Sunset Strip on January 14, 1996.

The jury found him not guilty of one count of negligently causing serious injury.

The case is believed to be the first successful prosecution in a Victorian court of a culpable driving case using evidence of the effect of marijuana on the driver. An analysis of the amount of marijuana in Brown’s blood at the time of the accident using equipment in South Australia was presented as evidence.

Professor Roger King, of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, told the jury the equipment found enough marijuana in Brown’s bloodstream to affect his driving.

Sen-Constable Patrick Cleary, of the accident investigation squad, said yesterday the use of the evidence was a warning to cannabis users that there was technology now available to detect the drug.

(Ed. note: There is nothing new here, except the use of the equipment as a part of a campaign to extend police powers. It does do that.)

The State Government announced last month drivers suspected of taking drugs would be forced to give blood for testing.

In a pre-sentence hearing yesterday, defence counsel John Desmond submitted there was a serious doubt over Prof. King’s evidence.

Mr Desmond said Prof. King had told the court Brown had smoked marijuana within the six hours before the accident, which was not backed up by other evidence.

Judge Leo Hart bailed Brown to appear for sentencing at a date to be fixed.

Copyright: News Limited 1998

The West Australian
http://www.metroactive.com/metro/
October 14, 1998
By Kirsten Watts

CANNABIS NOT SOLE FOCUS: POLICE

THE WA Police Service has denied claims that it devotes a big part of its resources to tackling cannabis use.

Yesterday The West Australian reported that most people charged with drug offences last year were under 25.

University of WA criminologist Dave Indermaur said he believed police were focusing too much attention on catching cannabis users.

The use of cannabis accounted for almost 75 per cent of drug charges last year but Mr Indermaur said police resources could be put to better use combating more serious drugs.

But Det-Insp. Ken Post, of the crime operations unit, said yesterday cannabis offences accounted for such a big proportion of WA’s drug charges because it was the most commonly used drug.
(Ed. note: Yes, but that still does not mean that this is a good use of police rresources.)

"We focus on all drug use, not just cannabis," he said.
(Ed. note: Blurred focus.)

But Opposition family and children’s services spokeswoman Megan Anwyl said it was clear that young cannabis users were a soft target for police. The fact that many young people did not have enough money to conduct their social lives off the streets meant that police had an easy job of catching them if they used cannabis.

South Metro Community Drug Service Team manager Kathryn Kemp said her service was being inundated with people of all ages and all walks of life seeking help with their drug habits. About 150 people came through the door each month.