Most people think of today as Friday, April 20. But for many, today is 420, a day to celebrate cannabis.
As legalization of marijuana spreads across the nation, there are increasing efforts to identify and arrests motorists who are driving while high on marijuana. Here in Colorado, the violation is known as DUID (driving under the influence of a drug). On 420, law enforcement agencies across the state are stepping up their efforts to apprehend DUID drivers.
CBS News reports that a new survey of 11,000 Colorado users indicates that 69 percent said they drove while under the influence in the past 12 months. But for police trying to determine who might have smoked weed, it’s not quite as easy to come up with viable statistics.
“There is no science behind an exact number of impairment,” a Colorado traffic safety resource prosecutor told CBS. She said that it’s different with alcohol; police and prosecutors can measure blood-alcohol content (BAC) and feel confident that certain readings indicate impairment. (In Colorado, it’s illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 percent and above.)
While blood and breath tests exist for alcohol, “with other drugs, there is no such thing,” the prosecutor said.
Someone who is using marijuana for the very first time is likely to be more profoundly affected by a marijuana cigarette than someone who has imbibed for years.
As you might know, Colorado is currently studying the effectiveness of oral testing devices. But because there’s no weed-version of a breathalyzer, police are still relying on their judgment in trying to determine who is and is not under the influence of cannabis.
If you have been arrested for DUID or DUI, contact an attorney experienced in protecting freedom, rights and driving privileges.