Michigan State Police Will Start Roadside Drug Tests Under New Program

A new pilot program in Michigan will allow the state police to conduct a roadside drug test starting later in the summer.

The program is focused on finding drivers with heavy drugs in their systems according to ABC12.  The program will start in five different Michigan counties according to the MSP.

We're going to determine these counties based on the number of traffic crashes involving alcohol or drugs and the number of arrests involving alcohol or drugs in these counties

The test will involve 12 different parts, including a cotton swab of the inside of the drivers mouth.  The police will have a specially trained expert with them, who claims to be able to get accurate results on the spot.

The problem is that some drugs, like medical marijuana, can stay in your system for days after any of the negative effects have gone away.

An earlier rumor said that there would be random checkpoints, but it looks like the tests will only be done if a driver is pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence.

Do you think this is a good move toward making Michigan's roads safer, or just another power move by authorities?