Articles Posted in DUID

A new California bill introduced by Assemblywoman Norma Torres, D-Chino, aims to make it a crime to drive with any level of marijuana in your blood or urine. According to a news report in The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, this is a controversial bill because marijuana can remain in your blood stream for up to 30 days. Torres says that the bill is important because we currently do not collect data involving collisions resulting from marijuana use. Unfortunately, individuals who are not impaired but who may have used marijuana in the last 30 days may face a California DUI (driving under the influence) charges if the bill gets signed into law.

An official with NORML, a non-profit organization, has stated that the bill essentially criminalizes every marijuana user who chooses to drive. It is not clear how the bill will deal with individuals who have a legal prescription to use medical marijuana. The new bill will make it a crime for them to drive within a month of them using their legally prescribed medication.

As California law currently stands, the prosecution must prove not only that a driver had marijuana in their system but also that the driver was impaired at the time of the arrest. Was the motorist actually impaired or was marijuana just in their system? Did the motorist exhibit signs of impairment such as swerving, speeding, or driving carelessly, or did the arrest result from a blood test that does not reflect the driver’s ability to safely operate his or her vehicle? These are some of the important questions to ask in such cases.

It is a crime in California to drive under the influence of drugs (DUI). The term “drugs” covers all substances that may affect a driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle, including drugs that fall under the “recreational” category, prescription drugs, and over-the-counter drugs that may induce drowsiness. In fact, any substance that alters the user’s nervous system, brain, or coordination may lead to DUI charges, depending on the circumstances.

Drug-related DUI cases are more complicated than those that involve alcohol because there is no determined level of illegal drug impairment. In California, it is a crime to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent or greater. Drug-related incidents, however, are left up to the discretion of the arresting officer and the prosecution. There is no particular measure of intoxication or impairment when it comes to drug-related cases.

Driving under the influence of drugs carries heavy penalties in California. Even first-time offenders could end up facing three to five years of probation, fines of up to $2,000, up to six months in county jail, a six-month license suspension, and mandatory DUI education classes. The severity of the charges is often linked to the defendant’s driving record, the circumstances of the case, and the ability of the defense attorney to negotiate lesser terms.