Driving under intoxication is illegal in Mississippi. One of the tests that police officers use in testing for intoxication is measuring the THC levels. THC is the psychoactive component of marijuana. Although THC affects the part of the brain that controls movement, memory and judgment, the levels of THC in the body are not reliable when checking for marijuana intoxication.
Additionally, sobriety tests given in the field, such as standing on one leg and balance tests, detect drunk driving. Although they are effective in testing drunk driving, these tests don’t detect cannabis intoxication.
Testing cannabis intoxication
Over the past years, there have been developments in creating a THC testing kit. Most THC testing kits function like a pregnancy kit ad offer police officers a yes or no answer on the presence of intoxication. Unfortunately, the kit doesn’t determine the level of THC in the body. Thus, when found intoxicated, more blood tests are often required.
The best option of testing the levels of THC in the body is through a breathalyzer. Unfortunately, cannabis is complex since it has more than 100 cannabinoids. Thus, it’s complex making a breathalyzer that will specifically target THC in the body. Additionally, cannabis has different metabolism rates in the body. One person can wait for four hours after using the drug to operate machinery, while others will wait for twice as long.
Unlike other drugs, cannabis stays in the bloodstream longer. Some compounds can remain in the blood for up to two days. People addicted to cannabis can test positive for cannabis use even after a month. Thus, there’s no specific way to measure THC in cannabis users.
In case you get arrested for driving under the influence of cannabis, consult an attorney immediately. The attorney might help you get the charges dropped.
