Whether you are using marijuana for recreational or medical purposes, you shouldn't use it and drive. This is because it can impair your judgment on the road. If you didn't know this, then here are four more things you should know:

Driving While Stoned Is an Offense 

It's surprising that people still think that driving after using cannabis is not an offense; perhaps it is because of the legalization of marijuana in some places. However, driving while intoxicated with marijuana is an offense. After all, alcohol is legal, but you still aren't allowed to drink and drive. It doesn't even matter whether you took the drug for medical reasons; driving while under the influence of prescription drugs is even an offense.

Your state's laws determine whether you are under the influence of the drugs. Some states have zero-tolerance laws, others have specific limits of THC that you should not exceed, and others rely on behaviors that suggest impairment.

Field Sobriety Tests May Let Some Marijuana Users Go Free

Field sobriety tests are not as accurate for detecting drivers under the influence of cannabis as they are for catching those intoxicated with alcohol. In fact, according to some statistics, as much as 88% of those who are intoxicated with alcohol fail these tests. However, the tests only catch approximately 30% of those who are under the influence of cannabis.  

You Can Be Arrested Several Days after Using Marijuana

The active ingredient in marijuana stays in your system long after you have stopped experiencing its effects. It can stay in your blood for between 2-28 days depending on factors such as the amount of the drug you took and your rate of metabolism. This means if you are driving in a zero-tolerance state, then you can be arrested and convicted for cannabis that you had used several weeks before your arrest.

It Is Not As Dangerous As Drunk Driving--But It's Still Dangerous

Prevailing evidence seems to suggest that marijuana use is not as dangerous as alcohol, at least when it comes to impaired driving. Don't get this wrong – it doesn't mean that driving while high on cannabis is safe; it's still dangerous. For example, marijuana use doubles the risk of crashing, but a blood alcohol level of 0.08% increases the risk twenty-fold (for 20-year old drivers).

Don't forget that when it comes to arrests and convictions, what matters is the law and nothing else. For example, the statistics that show that driving under the influence of marijuana may be safer than driving with alcohol intoxication will not get you off the hook if you are arrested. Your best bet is to hire a defense attorney such as Sam Douglas Young Attorney at Law to handle your case.

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