3 ms·

> Unfortunately there isn't a very reliable test to see if someone is under the influence of anything other than alcohol. I heard a lot of noise almost a decad

> Unfortunately there isn't a very reliable test to see if someone is under the influence of anything other than alcohol. I heard a lot of noise almost a decade ago about impairment testing. The idea is not to test for a specific drug, or a specific amount of a drug, but rather to test the ability of the person to react to situations. There isn't a lot of material out there about it, but it was highly praised at the time (in the info I came across) because it gets closer to the question that we really want to be answered: does this person currently have the ability to safely perform the task at hand? It removes the stigma of particular substances from the equation and also gives you the ability to test someone who is "drug-free" but also stayed up all night and may not be as able a driver (or machinist, or nurse) as usual. That was all a while ago, and I have yet to hear more or read any in-depth studies about the practice. Does anyone know if new research has been done?

mod 12y ago
It also would presumably discriminate against entire swaths of people (think old folks, potentially disabled drivers, etc). Not that I think anyone incapable of driving should be, but any impairment test would flunk certain groups of 100% sober people working at their best ability (not sleep-drunk, either).
- camhenlin 12y ago
  If they're unable to pass the impairment test they shouldn't be driving. If grandpa is too old to drive and can't maintain his lane in traffic anymore, a police officer giving him an impairment test and failing him is not discrimination.
  - mod 12y ago
    I didn't mean to use discriminate in the PC sense of the word. Simply meant that those groups of people will fail. I agree with your conclusion. I think taking away the driving privilege of tons of old people is going to cause a stir, that's all. And more importantly, we don't have "old age checkpoints," and you don't go to jail if you're old and fail some kind of ability test while sober.

mod 12y ago

It also would presumably discriminate against entire swaths of people (think old folks, potentially disabled drivers, etc). Not that I think anyone incapable of driving should be, but any impairment test would flunk certain groups of 100% sober people working at their best ability (not sleep-drunk, either).

camhenlin 12y ago
If they're unable to pass the impairment test they shouldn't be driving. If grandpa is too old to drive and can't maintain his lane in traffic anymore, a police officer giving him an impairment test and failing him is not discrimination.
- mod 12y ago
  I didn't mean to use discriminate in the PC sense of the word. Simply meant that those groups of people will fail. I agree with your conclusion. I think taking away the driving privilege of tons of old people is going to cause a stir, that's all. And more importantly, we don't have "old age checkpoints," and you don't go to jail if you're old and fail some kind of ability test while sober.