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Is It Possible for Marijuana to Impair Your Driving?

Is It Possible for Marijuana to Impair Your Driving?

With passage of the new medical marijuana law in Oklahoma, more Oklahomans may soon be using marijuana legally. This raises concerns among law enforcement about impaired driving, and concerns among ordinary citizens about unnecessary roadside arrests when people are not actually “impaired”. Oklahoma has strict DWI laws that prohibit any “impaired” driving, even if you are impaired because of a legal drug and have a prescription. Driving erratically after using marijuana is no exception. Substances that could impair you include those that are “capable of being ingested, inhaled, injected or absorbed into the human body and are capable of adversely affecting...

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How Police Spot Drunk Drivers

How Police Spot Drunk Drivers

Police patrolling the roadways spot drunk drivers by observing their driving patterns and watching for telltale signs of intoxication during traffic stops. Signs of Intoxication While Driving First, law enforcement officers look for signs of intoxication or impairment while a driver is operating a vehicle. These signs may include reckless driving, weaving in a lane or in and out of multiple lanes, nearly striking an object or vehicle, going left of center, driving into opposing or crossing traffic, driving too slowly, driving with inconsistent speed, slow response to traffic signals, failure to signal, turning abruptly or illegally, braking erratically, or stopping for...

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There Is No Reliable Test for DUI Marijuana

There Is No Reliable Test for DUI Marijuana

It’s true: there is no reliable test for DUI marijuana. While police can observe drivers for signs of impairment, no blood or breath test can show accurately whether a person is so impaired by marijuana as to make driving unsafe. The reason marijuana concentration in the body cannot be tested reliably lies in science. The ethanol in alcohol dissolves in water, and human bodies are mostly water. Ethanol concentration in the body reduces quickly over time. In contrast, the THC in marijuana is fat-soluble and does not dissolve in water. It can remain in the body for weeks. A recent study...

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The “Intoxicating Substance” in Oklahoma

The “Intoxicating Substance” in Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s laws against drunk driving also prohibit driving under the influence of any intoxicating or controlled substance. In this article, learn what these substances are and why driving while using them is akin to driving while using alcohol. Oklahomans using any amount of a Schedule I controlled substance while operating a motor vehicle can be charged with a crime. 47 O.S. § 11-902(A)(3). Some examples of controlled substances are: opiates, LSD, marijuana, amphetamines, heroin, codeine, and more. 63 O.S. § 2-204. Notably, Oklahoma just amended its definition of marijuana to exclude federally approved cannabidiol (CBD) drugs or substances. Oklahoma H.B. 1559...

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