Teens targeted in effort to reduce drugged driving

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Many teen drivers believe it's less dangerous to drive after smoking marijuana than after drinking alcohol, a perception the government wants to change.
"Driving sober means no alcohol, no marijuana, no drugs," John Walters, the Bush administration's drug policy director, said Thursday as he showed a new television ad aimed at stopping teens from driving after smoking pot.
Walters' office is spending $10 million on the ad and other efforts to teach teens and their parents about the danger of drugged driving. There also are brochures that are being distributed in high schools and state motor vehicle offices.
Marijuana can affect concentration, perception and reaction time up to 24 hours after it's smoked, Walters said. Yet teens have gotten the message that it's a benign drug.
In a recent study, 30 percent of teens said "planning to drive" was a reason not to drink. But only 18 percent cited "planning to drive" as a reason not to take drugs. The survey questioned 3,574 middle and high school students nationwide in spring and was conducted for Students Against Destructive Decisions and Liberty Mutual Insurance.