If a police officer has reason to believe that driver may be intoxicated, he will often administer a breath alcohol test on the spot, take the subject back to the police station for a breathalyzer test, or perhaps even both. In the event that the law enforcement official finds that the person has very little or even no alcohol in his system, he may require blood or urine samples.
Marijuana is probably the only illegal substance for which there is no relatively widespread consensus on impairment. Although it has been studied at length, experts differ in their opinions. Cannabis has effects on the body as well as the mind. During the high, the user may feel relaxed, paranoid, and enter an altered state of consciousness in which he expresses an increased appreciation for - or even fixation upon - colors and sounds, such as music. It can also cause a person's eyes to redden and the heart rate to increase. Perhaps most problematically, motor control can be impaired, as are reflexes and a person's ability to pay attention or focus. Still, many people argue that marijuana does not necessarily adversely affect a person's ability to drive a motor vehicle. At least one study has found that drivers who have used marijuana drive more cautiously, slower, and react less quickly than drivers who have not consumed marijuana.
Complicating matters further is the fact that traces of marijuana usage can stay in a person's urine for as long as a month after smoking or consuming the substance. Therefore, if a law enforcement agency tests a driver who is suspected of driving under the influence, it is complicated if marijuana traces are found in the suspect's urine - alone or in conjunction with alcohol or any other substance.
If you have been arrested for possession of marijuana or DUI/DWI, contact the Tampa DUI attorneys as soon as possible to discuss your case.
