A MAGISTRATE is concerned south-west drug users are not getting the message about driving after more motorists fronted court.
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Ian Parker, 49, of Hospital Road, Timboon, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to drug impaired driving after being caught by police on November 24 last year.
He has a prior court appearance for the same offence.
And Jacob George Arndell, 23, of Tylden Street, Dennington, pleaded guilty to drug driving and driving while disqualified.
He was fined $300, banned for eight months and placed on a 12-month community corrections order with the condition he do 100 hours of community work.
Arndell also has priors for serious driving offences.
Magistrate Cynthia Toose said the message didn't seem to be getting through to the community.
She said drug driving was equally as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol.
Courts regularly hear that cannabis can stay in a user's system for up to 28 days and ice for up to a fortnight.
Parker said he was intercepted with cannabis in his system during 2016 and had been a dope smoker for much of his life.
He said he had given up smoking with the help of his family and church.
Parker said that before being caught he had helped someone who offered him a small amount of cannabis as payment.
He said he had planned to throw it away but had smoked it a couple of days before being intercepted by police.
Parker's licence was cancelled for six months and he was fined $1200.
