LANSING — The Republican Cannabis Caucus of Michigan is opposing two new bills that would allow police to collect saliva samples from drivers during traffic stops to test for marijuana impairment.
The Government Operations Committee recently approved the bills and are now under review by the Rules Committee. Caucus leaders say they were not given a chance to testify due to time constraints and are now speaking out publicly.
The caucus cites a Michigan pilot program where saliva tests were found to be unreliable. Out of 934 positive tests, 222 were later disproven by blood tests. A state report also concluded that Michigan should not set a THC threshold for impairment and should instead rely on field sobriety tests.
Caucus Chair George Brikho called the bills “corporate welfare for drug testing companies” and warned they could lead to DNA profiling under the guise of traffic enforcement.
The Republican Cannabis Caucus is encouraging residents to sign a petition and contact lawmakers to prevent the bills from reaching the full Legislature.