OPINION/LETTERS

Law headed for court test

    Regarding the March 13 story reporting that the Iowa Senate passed a bill outlawing driving with any detectable levels of marijuana: Olympic gold medal winner Ross Rebagliati, the Canadian snowboard champion, would be OWI under this law.  Does this mean that consumers of legal hemp products, i.e. hemp seed oil, are OWI if cannabis metabolites are found?
    Feb. 26, Dover, Del.: A jury overturned a U.S. Air Force court-martial after hearing evidence that hemp oil may test positive for marijuana on a urine test.   The decision acquits Master Sgt. Spencer Gaines, 41, of charges that he smoked marijuana.
    Here's a product that's legal, commercially available over the counter in health-food stores and grocery stores - and it can render you positive for marijuana, costing you an OWI charge.
    Another Iowa drug law headed for a court challenge.

-- James Getman,
2618 Wilkes Ave., Davenport.

The Des Moines Register
Sunday, March 22, 1998, Page 7AA.
letters@news.dmreg.com