The New Mexico Department of Transportation is launching a new ENDWI campaign targeting marijuana consumption.
“Impairment is impairment. It doesn’t matter whether it’s alcohol or cannabis; driving while intoxicated on any substance is dangerous and illegal,” Transportation Secretary Mike Sandoval said in a statement. “If you are impaired and driving erratically or unsafely, you could be arrested for DWI. The law is the same.”
A law allowing the sale of recreational marijuana went into effect on Friday.
Officers will evaluate signs of impairment rather than relying on the smell of cannabis. They will likely administer the standard field sobriety tests, which don’t necessarily look for a specific drug, but rather help officers determine how incapacitated someone is, according to NMDOT.
According to the University of New Mexico, crashes involving only drug use have increased over the last 10 years. Reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Governors Highway Safety Association show drugs were present in 43 percent of drivers who were fatally injured with a known test result.
Albuquerque creative team RK Venture created the drugged-driving awareness campaign.
The new logo features green and black lower-case letters with the yellow and black ENDWI brand.
Green was chosen because it is a recognizable color used for marijuana dispensaries. The cross was added because it is often used in connection with dispensaries and pharmacies.
Over time, different types of drugs that impair drivers will be covered but the immediate focus is on marijuana, according to NMDOT.
