A new study has come out showing the absurdity of using THC bloodstream detectors to see if someone is high behind the wheel.
The method has been taken from the process of detecting alcohol impairment, however the way these two substances interact with the bloodstream is very different.
For instance, THC can stay in the bloodstream for weeks after use. This has led to people with no psychoactive impairment being arrested.
“Many regular users of cannabis exceed zero tolerance and per se THC cutpoint concentrations days after their last use, risking legal consequences despite no evidence of impairment,” the study says.
The study notes that alcohol can be detected up to 1 or 2 days from ingestion, but THC can be measured up to 30 days later. The study found this by having 190 heavy consumers abstain from use for 48 hours, and THC in their blood was measured at both stages.
Their results? “Cannabis blood limit laws lack scientific credibility and are not an accurate determinant of when drivers should face criminal charges or not.”
It’s clear that this practice should be outlawed in law enforcement, as many lives are getting damaged unnecessarily by having leftover THC in their bloodstream.
In August, President Trump’s pick for the Traffic Safety Agency said he would “double down” on warning people about marijuana-impaired driving, which certainly doesn’t sound like it would be taking a nuanced approach to the issue.
Read more at Marijuana Moment.
