Because there is no breathalyzer test for marijuana, commission member Mary Maguire, director of public and legislative affairs at AAA New England, said drug recognition experts “are really among the best tools we have for detecting impaired drivers at the roadway.”

Maguire said there is already a problem with drunk driving, and adding legal marijuana to the mix will make that worse.

“I think it’s important for the commission to send a message that impaired driving is illegal, that marijuana and driving do not mix, that we do not want to see people ingesting cannabis, whether it’s smoked or in the form of an edible, and then heading out on the roadways,” Maguire said.

The OUI commission is chaired by Shawn Collins, executive director of the Cannabis Control Commission, which is the oversight board for the state’s marijuana industry. But the OUI commission operates independently of the Cannabis Control Commission and reports directly to the state Legislature.

The commission is required to submit a report to the Legislature recommending legislation by Jan. 1. The commission plans to meet again this Friday to finalize its recommendations.

Any commission recommendations would have to be passed by the Legislature in order for them to become law.