If you enjoy a joint or two of marijuana every once in awhile, like many Southern Californians do, it’s important to know about THC. If you plan on driving after ingesting marijuana, make sure you learn about its effects so that you can avoid getting charged with DUI, which is one of the harshest California criminal charges. Even just one DUI charge can set you back thousands of dollars, result in the suspension of your license, and cause other serious consequences.
What is THC?
THC, also known as tetrahydrocannabinol, is a chemical inside marijuana that causes most of the drug’s psychological effects. THC causes changes in the brain that are frequently associated with thinking, memory, pleasure, coordination, and time perception. The effects of THC usually kick in about 10 or 20 minutes after ingestion.
How long is THC present in your system?
Levels of THC vary widely from person to person because its absorption is affected by many factors, including how much you ingested, how often you partake of it, and your overall metabolism rate.
If a police officer suspects you of driving under the influence of marijuana, they will request you submit to a blood test. These only test active THC levels, which often indicate recent marijuana use. Depending on how much you smoke, your THC levels might not drop below detectable amounts for days (not just hours) after your last puff or brownie.
How to avoid a marijuana DUI
There are so many factors that affect THC levels, so it’s impossible to indicate a blanket rule to avoid a marijuana DUI. Just to be safe, you can’t say you’ll wait 3 hours before driving, or even 3 days – there’s no way to know that you won’t still test positive on a marijuana blood test.
Self-evaluation
All you can do is watch how you feel before turning the key on your ignition. Do you feel sober? Do you feel completely cognizant of everything that’s going on around you? California subjectively defines intoxication as the inability to drive as well as a sober person would in the same situation. So just pay attention to yourself and make sure you’re good to go before hopping into a car.
Plausible scenarios
Getting a marijuana DUI is a very serious matter, and in certain situations, it can be very difficult to avoid one. Perhaps you have a chronic condition that requires marijuana treatment, but you need to drive to work after smoking one morning. Perhaps you smoke marijuana for the first time, and then the next day you need to run an errand, and you get pulled over and arrested. It’s a total nightmare scenario, but it’s pretty common as marijuana becomes more widely used throughout California.
Got arrested for a marijuana DUI? Don’t lose hope
If you do get arrested for a marijuana DUI, know that your case isn’t hopeless. Far from it! Since standard permissible THC levels haven’t been established by California laws, your defense attorney may be able to successfully argue that you weren’t high when you were arrested.
Come discuss your case with a DUI attorney who really knows how to defend against marijuana DUI charges – Dan Chambers of the Chambers Law Firm. Depending on the circumstances of your case, he may be able to get your case dismissed, procure a reduction of the charges, or achieve another favorable outcome in your case.
But you’ll never know what he can do until you schedule an appointment. All prospective clients are entitled to one free case evaluation with Attorney Chambers. Schedule yours now by calling 714-760-4088, emailing dchambers@clfca.com, or by using the chat box below.
