According to a piece at mynorthwest.com, state Rep. Roger Goodman (D-45, Kirkland, Redmond) is pitching a bill that would mandate blood testing after car accidents to determine if drivers were impaired at the time of the crash. Since THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) can be detected with a standard blood test, this would mean a crackdown on driving while stoned.

Why would a drug reform advocate like Goodman  be cracking down on drug use? (Before getting elected in 2006, he headed up the King County Bar Association report that called for pot legalization back in 2005.)

Here's a theory, it's a smoke screen. Seattlecrime.com mastermind Jonah Spangenthal-Lee has some super insightful analysis, "This is a back door way to advocate for marijuana legalization."

And it makes sense: the major argument against legalization from law enforcement is that the substance would still have to be regulated with regard to driving: you'll be getting pot DUI's instead of possession charges. Plus, it's (currently) impossible to test for marijuana impairment.

Goodman's bill would change all that. Suddenly, it is possible to validate DUI charges with regard to marijuana, which means that law enforcement officials have one fewer leg to stand on while opposing legalization.

Score one for the stoners. We have a call out to Goodman to test our theory.