A safety advocate fears that Arizona will meet the same fate as Colorado

Safety Advocate and attorney Marc Lamber warns Arizona that 'Drugged Driving' cases may go up

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Safety Advocate and Attorney Marc Lamber is concerned that Arizona may meet the same fate as the State of Colorado.

Lamber refers to the passing of Prop 207, which legalizes the recreational use of marijuana.

According to National Highway Traffic Administration, since the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado, the state has reported a 151% in traffic deaths related to marijuana use. NHTA describes driving under the influence of marijuana is equivalent to driving while under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs, or any other illicit drug.

Law enforcement across the country are using different methods to test for the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. Some are using a new breathalyzer that detects THC.

"Criminally, you can go to jail, and you can have your driver's license suspended. In addition, civilly, you can be sued by the family of someone who's injured, or the person that was injured can recover money from you. So there's a lot of consequences." said Marc Lamber.

In Arizona, an officer can request a driver to provide a blood test to determine if they're under the influence. If the driver refuses, their license will be suspended.