NJ Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana Attorneys
Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana
Many would argue that driving under the influence of marijuana is far less dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol is, but New Jersey legislators and law enforcement officials don't see it that way. Driving under the influence of marijuana is treated the same as driving under the influence of alcohol, with steep fines and other criminal penalties. In our state, driving under the influence of drugs, or DUID, is a very serious crime. A conviction can result in loss of driving privileges, incarceration, probation, the inability to obtain certain types of employment or lawfully own a firearm and other harsh consequences. That is why many drivers charged with driving under the influence of marijuana in New Jersey rely on the attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein to help them with their case by informing them of legal options.
Simply put, the legal description of driving under the influence of drugs is being unable to operate a motor vehicle with the same level of caution that a sober driver would use under the same or similar circumstances. The issue here is whether the alleged marijuana use adversely affected a driver's ability to operate a vehicle safely. As you can see, a law enforcement official's determination that a driver's ability to safely operate a vehicle is fairly subjective, as are the methods used to determine marijuana “intoxication.” Drivers charged with DUID in New Jersey are usually required to submit a blood or urine sample to determine whether or not they have THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) in their system. However, urine tests are notoriously inaccurate and seldom admissible in court. If THC is found in a driver's blood, it is difficult to determine whether or not THC entered the bloodstream hours or days before the test, as marijuana remains in the body for quite some time.
Further, the results of field sobriety tests for marijuana use are very subjective and can be affected by many other factors such as fatigue, injuries, illness and other factors. In short, charging a driver with driving under the influence of marijuana is largely based on circumstantial evidence, and the Princeton marijuana defense lawyers at Lependorf & Silverstein have nearly two decades of experience exposing faulty evidence for what it is. We build successful defense cases for each client based on the weaknesses in the prosecution's case and help them retain their driving privileges, personal freedoms and opportunities. If you or someone you care for has been charged with driving under the influence of marijuana in New Jersey, contact attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein today.