Now that recreational and medicinal use of marijuana is increasingly legal throughout the nation, including here in Southern California, the number of people being charged with DUI because of marijuana use has increased.
The state of California doesn’t actually have any set parameters on how much THC (an active ingredient in marijuana that produces intoxication) is allowed in the system for an individual to be allowed to drive, and this presents a gray area that can be difficult for police officers and citizens to navigate.
THC levels
THC can be found in an individual’s blood stream up to 4–6 weeks after using marijuana, though it’s not enough to just come up with a tool to detect THC. There could be many false positives if a marijuana breathalyzer didn’t distinguish between high and low THC levels. If that were to occur, someone who smoked marijuana weeks ago could potentially be charged with DUI, even though they no longer were experiencing the affects of marijuana.
So how do police officers determine whether to charge someone with DUI or not, if they only have THC in their system? There are no marijuana breathalyzers currently on the market, so there is no objective way of determining marijuana intoxication. Police officers determine a driver’s level of intoxication by his or her driving pattern, behavior, appearance, verbal statements, eye movements, and other rather subjective factors.
Marijuana DUI defenses
As a result, if you’ve been arrested for marijuana DUI, your case may successfully be dismissed from court IF you get an excellent criminal defense attorney on your side. Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell is an ideal choice in Southern California because he have decades of experience working on criminal law cases, including marijuana DUI cases. Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell may be able to convince the judge that there is enough reasonable doubt that the police officer’s allegations against you are untrue to either have your charges dismissed or reduced to lighter penalties.
Save $$$
While it can seem expensive to hire a superb lawyer such as Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell to defend you, how much value do you place on your freedom? Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell can save you thousands of dollars in court fines if he prevents a conviction from occurring or achieves a reduction of the charges. Plus it’s so helpful to have a legal expert on your side while attempting to navigate the California court system, which can be tremendously confusing.
Don’t go with the public defender or try to represent yourself—schedule a free consultation with Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell so he can start building a sound defense for your marijuana DUI case today. Just call 909-920-0908 or email torrence@torrencelhowelllaw.com to schedule an appointment ASAP—your freedom, financial security, driving privileges, and reputation could depend on it.
