Watch Three Humorous PSAs From The Colorado DOT Warning Against Driving While High
The Colorado Department of Transportation has released three humorous public service announcements about the dangers of driving while high on marijuana. The PSAs are part of their "Drive High, Get a DUI" campaign.
The commercials show poke fun at three hapless and high Coloradans struggling to perform some basic tasks, with the idea that yes you can now grill, play basketball or install your new TV high (or you’re now allowed to fail miserably at them), but you can’t drive high.
The commercials target 21- to 34-year-olds, who according to the DOT have the highest number of DUIs. The “drugged driving” laws in Colorado are just like drunk driving laws. Instead of a blood-alcohol limit, there’s a 5 nanograms of active THC limit.
The THC limit is tested with a chemical test. If you refuse, consequences include “revocation of a drivers’ license for one year, mandatory ignition interlock for two years and alcohol education and therapy classes as specified by law.”
Colorado is on a campaign to train police offers as DREs, or Drug Recognition Experts. Col. Scott Hernandez, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, says Colorado recently graduated 20 new DREs in the state. Officers will use visual and behavioral cues to decide whether a person is impaired or not.
Some pot users aren’t too happy about the commercials and have taken to the comment sections to express their frustration. One says the commercials paint a “biased and BS picture of cannabis users” and that the money could have been better used elsewhere.
The Colorado DOT says many marijuana users don’t think they’re impaired by smoking. Some think it makes them better drivers. According to the DOT, though, in 2012, 12 percent of drivers involved with fatal car accidents that were tested for drugs had only marijuana in their systems.
Colorado doesn’t look to let up on the prevention campaigns either. The pot legalization bill in Colorado stipulates that a portion of tax revenue from sales go to prevention and education campaigns.
Before pot users get up in arms about how they’re portrayed, they should be happy that the "Reefer Madness" days are over. At least these are funny. Watch all three below.
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