In July 2014, Washington had its first recreational marijuana shops open albeit tons of excitements. However, this new start did not go very well for anyone. Just a few weeks in and customers already had complaints about ridiculous lines, high prices and a lack of variety. The supply was so belittled that certain stores opened for just a few hours daily. Farmers and retailers began to lose revenue, government officials searched for some type of solution, and those who opposed marijuana legalization had an “I told you so” moment.
Now, though, things look much better than they were years ago. Now 200 recreational stores haven opened throughout Washington, revenues are beginning to grow tremendously, and the federal government is not interfering; instead, they are letting Washington work out the issues on their own. At the same time, it hasn’t been all good; recent data released by the Washington State Patrol’s toxicology lab suggests that driving while high seems to be becoming more common. An analysis of blood samples showed that this is the third consecutive year where the amount of drivers driving while high has increased. As a result, law officials are intervening.
“With new laws and new trends, our roadways are different and we need to respond to that change,” says Impaired Driving Section Commander for the Washington State Patrol, Lt. Rob Sharpe. “We’re committed to keeping our roads safe for drivers.”
The state has trained over 200 Drug Recognition Experts to help spot out people high on marijuana. In addition, there have been 2,000 trained officers in a two-day rigorous course called “Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement,” or “ARIDE.”
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