LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN
BY: DAVID M. MARTIN, PH.D. NANJING PHARMACEUTICALS
The Youngest Victims of Drugged Driving
Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) census, roughly one in four (23 percent) of fatally injured drivers who tested positive for drugs were under the age of 25. Addi- tionally, based on data from 2005 to 2009, almost half (42 percent) of fatally injured drivers who tested positive for marijuana were under the age of 25. Drugged driving is literally killing our nation’s youth and is therefore a major public health concern for this age group. “We already know the dangers of driving
I
n a meeting at the White House Conference Center in Washington DC on October 24, 2011 the Mothers
Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Office of National Drug Policy (ONDCP) announced their new partnership to raise public awareness on the emerging problem of drugged driving. It truly was an historic meeting, as the
National Highway Traffic and Safety Ad- ministration (NHTSA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Department of Transpor- tation (DOT) and many other key organi- zations (too numerous to mention in this short leter) were present. DATIA was also represented and made a commitment to as- sist this effort with our collectors, trainers, laboratories and manufacturing members, nationwide. Te goal was clear and challenging, re-
duce drugged driving 10% by the year 2015 the same way that MADD has reduced drunk driving with the help of all organiza- tions present at the meeting. According to a new analysis by Te
Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) of 2009 data from the NHTSA
under the influence of alcohol, and a grow- ing body of research indicates that drugged driving is also a concern—especially for young drivers aged 15–20 who are at par- ticularly high risk for traffic crashes and re- ally need to remain fully alert and focused on driving,” said David Strickland, Admin- istrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “We’re pleased to be working alongside the Office of National Drug Control Policy and Mothers Against Drunk Driving to bring atention to this serious health and safety issue.” “Research shows that drugs have
adverse effects on judgment, reaction time, and motor skills—all vital require- ments for responsible driving,” said Gil Kerlikowske, the Director of ONDCP. “I can think of no greater organization with which to partner to save lives on our roadways than MADD. For decades, MADD has been a lynchpin in our na- tion’s efforts to make our roadways safer and I am proud to join them to help raise public awareness regarding the devastat- ing consequences of drugged driving.” “In partnership with ONDCP and in
recognition of the growing problem of poly-abuse and drugged driving, MADD is puting a face on these issues by launching a nationally coordinated effort to provide support to the underserved and grow- ing number of drugged driving victims in
America,” said MADD National President Jan Withers. President Obama has made combating
drugged driving a drug control priority and has set the goal of reducing drugged driv- ing prevalence by 10 percent by 2015. To achieve this goal, the Obama Administra- tion is working to increase public aware- ness and encouraging states to explore legal responses, such as per se laws that make it illegal for individuals to drive with illicit drugs in their system. Already, 17 states have adopted these statutes. Additionally, ONDCP is providing increased training to law enforcement to identify drugged drivers and working with the National Institutes of Health and SAMHSA to develop standard screening methodologies for drug-testing labs to use in detecting the presence of drugs among drivers. All of this provides an historic set of
opportunities for all DATIA members, collectors, laboratories, manufacturers and trainers to address this serious public health problem that unfortunately is focused on our youth. We are the experts that make the best drug testing program in the world work day in and day out for the DOT and private industries nationwide. We need to work together and expand those programs for the new designer and prescription medications. Tese programs should be available to test drivers na- tionwide to increase public safety on our highways, especially for our youth who are most at risk and who we need so much for all our futures. ❚
David M. Martin, Ph.D. Chairman
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datia focus
winter 2012
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