The University of Iowa has just released a study showing that marijuana does not have any impact on marijuana drivers when the driver’s THC levels were at or above the THC levels prohibited by many states. In the University study, drivers were assessed on weaving within the lane, how often the car left the lane and the speed of the weaving.
Drivers with only alcohol in their systems showed impairment in all three areas, while those strictly under the influence of vaporized cannabis only demonstrate problems weaving within the lane.
Marijuana drivers with blood concentrations of 13.1 ug/L THC or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in marijuana, showed increased weaving that was similar to those with a .08 breath alcohol concentration, the legal limit in most states. The legal limit for THC in Washington and Colorado is 5 ug/L, the same amount other states have considered. In other words, the 5 ug/L legal limit is roughly 2 and one-half times lower than it should be to accurately compare to the impairment level of a driver with a BSC of .08%.
The results are part of a larger study sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Institute of Drug Abuse, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy. It will be interesting to see how these agencies implement the results as science should control legality and not some notions of reefer madness!
If you or a loved one have been arrested for a Minnesota DWI, or are facing a DWI forfeiture of your vehicle, contact Minnesota DWI Lawyer, F. T. Sessoms at (612) 344-1505 for answers to all of your Minnesota DWI and forfeiture questions.