Cannabis has its own targeted impaired driving enforcement patrols.

Manteca Police will conduct saturation DUI patrols on 4/20 Day

It is the day of the international counterculture observance celebrating cannabis with those marking the day partaking of marijuana.

April 20 falls on a Saturday this year.

The effort is being funded from state cannabis tax receipts with grants  being awarded by the California Highway Patrol.

DUI, or driving under the influence laws, do not pertain just to alcohol.

It also covers prescription drugs and cannabis consumption.

The Centers for Disease Control notes that after alcohol, marijuana is the substance most often associated with impaired driving.

Authorities note that driving is a “complex task” that requires your full attention to stay safe and alert.

The CDC indicates marijuana affects areas of the brain that control your body’s movements, balance, coordination, memory, and judgment.

As such, marijuana use  can impair important skills required for safe driving by:

*slowing your reaction time and ability to make decisions,

*impairing coordination, and

*distorting perception.

Studies have shown an association between acute marijuana use and car crashes.

Research also indicates consuming alcohol and marijuana in tandem can significantly increase impairment issues than either substance consumed on its own.

The Manteca Police Department’s targeted DUI saturation patrols over St. Patrick’s Day weekend netted four DUI arrests.

The state is targeting stepped up DUI enforcement during the 4/20 observance this year as it falls on the weekend and is already a date that more people than usual typically use cannabis and often in a larger amount.

The DUI patrols are part of an overall department effort to address traffic violations that endanger public safety.

The City Council has authorized the deployment of red light traffic cameras at six intersections,.

At the same time, in 2023 the city’s internal traffic safety committee led by public works and including police department participation, deployed more than 30 traffic calming measures around Manteca such as speed humps and new locations for stop signs.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com