From: [john yates] at [bobo.pp.fi] (John Yates)
Newsgroups: uk.politics.drugs,alt.drugs,talk.politics.drugs
Subject: PPM Level for Cannabis Consumption in Traffic
Date: Tue, 03 Sep 1996 13:36:24 GMT

A news report on German television this morning (RTL text 030996) says
German researchers have determined a way of measuring impairment in
driving due to cannabis consumption and can set 'safe levels' for
driving after a smoke.
Here is my translation of the report:

------------------------------Begin------------------------------

         PPM LEVEL FOR CANNABIS CONSUMPTION IN TRAFFIC 

For the first time scientists have developed a test by means of which
it is possible to determine limits for the consumption of cannabis and
driving. An announcement by the North Rhine-Westfalian Ministry of
Transport said medical researchers and chemists have worked out a
'Cannabis Influence Factor' (this appeared in the German report in
English-JY). By means of this factor, cannabis consumption can be
measured and if a CIF level of over 10,0 is determined, driving
ability is impaired.

---------------------------------End-------------------------------

Cannabis in traffic has long been a red herring thrown up by
narcofascists. Even the residual metabolites of cannabis left in the
system days after a smoke is claimed to impair driving ability. There
are even cases of people losing their license after a posession
conviction in which cars and traffic were not involved. This news from
Germany should help to put a stop to that sort of nonsense. If you can
have a drinking limit and drive, it makes sense that you can have a
one joint limit as well. 
                                                       John Yates