Assemblyman Makes Push For Marijuana Field Sobriety Tests

STUDIO CITY (CBSLA.com) — WHTC, a medical marijuana shop in Studio city, says it always encourages its patients to use responsibly. But with the passage of Prop 64, which allows recreational use for people 21 and older in California, Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R - Palmdale) smells trouble.

"What were seeing is an astronomical rise in drugged driving."  Lackey said.

The National Institute of drug abuse found, after alcohol, marijuana is most frequently found in drivers involved in crashes.

And federal data also shows marijuana-related traffic deaths in Colorado spiked by an average of 48 percent in the years following legalization there.

Right now, there's no field test for pot, like there is for alcohol. Officers use observation only.

Assemblyman lackey re-introduced a previously rejected bill that would allow police to use a 'cheek swab' on the spot.

"What it does is validate the presence of that particular drug," Lackey said.

"We hope someone who might have medicated a day prior doesn't come up testing positive as a results of these test, we want it done correctly," A WHTC employee said.

As more people light up legally there may be more of them behind the wheel high. Under prop 64, the California Highway patrol will get $15 million over the next five years to develop protocols.