Drug driving arrests and legal limits

TheImp34

I seen where there has only been 11 arrests for drug driving in the last 4 months since it has been brought in, 3 a month on average and 10/11 arrests where in Dublin.

Just wondering if anyone here has taken a drug test and passed who is a regular cannabis user, or know someone who has?

There was a lot of confusion on legal limit and how it could potentially be weeks after a smoke can get conviction, and I still don't really see anything more solid, I used to smoke and quit before the tests came in as I wasn't sure and commute 12hours/week for work.

I had an idea that it was all scare tactics with the media but 11 arrests in 4 months makes me question how high the legal limit/ detection time is, or if these MIT checkpoints are scarce and rare?

Samuel T. Cogley

I find check points rare until you encounter one.

Really Interested

TheImp34 wrote: »

I seen where there has only been 11 arrests for drug driving in the last 4 months since it has been brought in, 3 a month on average and 10/11 arrests where in Dublin.

Just wondering if anyone here has taken a drug test and passed who is a regular cannabis user, or know someone who has?

There was a lot of confusion on legal limit and how it could potentially be weeks after a smoke can get conviction, and I still don't really see anything more solid, I used to smoke and quit before the tests came in as I wasn't sure and commute 12hours/week for work.

I had an idea that it was all scare tactics with the media but 11 arrests in 4 months makes me question how high the legal limit/ detection time is, or if these MIT checkpoints are scarce and rare?

An arrest does not mean a summons. The big question will be how many roadside fails lead to a fail at the station which in turn lead to a conviction it will be a year or two before we have good data.

TheImp34

Really Interested wrote: »

An arrest does not mean a summons. The big question will be how many roadside fails lead to a fail at the station which in turn lead to a conviction it will be a year or two before we have good data.

That's true, but the majority of time I'd say a roadside test and a blood test would fare the same result. If there is a legal limit, then both tests are to the same limit and if you fail the roadside, surely you would fail the blood test?

They claim 6-24hrs to wait to pass the swab test, so if you fail at 30hours, then a blood test is administered, which tests up to 7 days previous, it seems unlikely to fail a swab test and pass a blood test unless there is a malfunction, such a cold weather.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Really Interested

TheImp34 wrote: »

That's true, but the majority of time I'd say a roadside test and a blood test would fare the same result. If there is a legal limit, then both tests are to the same limit and if you fail the roadside, surely you would fail the blood test?

They claim 6-24hrs to wait to pass the swab test, so if you fail at 30hours, then a blood test is administered, which tests up to 7 days previous, it seems unlikely to fail a swab test and pass a blood test unless there is a malfunction, such a cold weather.

I believe and could be wrong, in a roadside test for drink the machine is set close to the limit for drink and usually the follow up breath, blood or urine test usually also records a fail.

My understanding for the drug test it may be possible to fail the road side test but not the station breath test. But we will know more when the cases start coming to court and the system is tested to the full by the courts.

GM228

Really Interested wrote: »

I believe and could be wrong, in a roadside test for drink the machine is set close to the limit for drink and usually the follow up breath, blood or urine test usually also records a fail.

My understanding for the drug test it may be possible to fail the road side test but not the station breath test. But we will know more when the cases start coming to court and the system is tested to the full by the courts.

This is correct, the Dräger is also set close to the limit, but does not have the accuracy as preliminary alcohol test machines.

TheImp34

GM228 wrote: »

This is correct, the Dräger is also set close to the limit, but does not have the accuracy as preliminary alcohol test machines.

From what I read about it a few months ago, all that is true, but what I dont' understand is that they actually have a limit with no parameters when its a non regulated drug.

Alcohol is regulated so the limit is understandable and after a short time, ( 12hrs or whatever it may be), its safe to say that you will pass a breath test and a urine test or whatever may possibly follow it, once your past the set time which is easily calculated for a controlled substance.

But how can they say after 6hrs you should pass a drug test, and 24hrs if your uncertain, with a (unknown?) Limit of an unregulated illegal drug that differs between people who use occasionally, regularly and heavily?

What I've seen from studies is that " Occasionally " actually means for the first time, having never smoked, heavily is 21 joints a week and regularly is inbetween them, could have been just for that one study, but they used the draeger 5000 and its limit was set for the universal for most countries ( whatever that may be ) and the "occasional" test subject passed, which is no surprise having never touched the drug before, the regular user passed at 24hrs, but the heavy user failed at 30hrs and every other time and the study was concluded.

That may be irrelevant just thought it might interest anyone reading this but to me it means that eventually any user will build up the trace elements to eventually fail the drug test, be it a regular user or less, when THC residue is dependant on fat and everything, surely if someone smoked regularly 5 joints a week lets say, and they do a drug test and pass, its hit and miss for them 6 or 12 months down the line with another drug test when THC levels is also dependant on diet, fitness, activity level, ect. of everyone consumer.

GM228

TheImp34 wrote: »

From what I read about it a few months ago, all that is true, but what I dont' understand is that they actually have a limit with no parameters when its a non regulated drug.

Alcohol is regulated so the limit is understandable and after a short time, ( 12hrs or whatever it may be), its safe to say that you will pass a breath test and a urine test or whatever may possibly follow it, once your past the set time which is easily calculated for a controlled substance.

But how can they say after 6hrs you should pass a drug test, and 24hrs if your uncertain, with a (unknown?) Limit of an unregulated illegal drug that differs between people who use occasionally, regularly and heavily?

What I've seen from studies is that " Occasionally " actually means for the first time, having never smoked, heavily is 21 joints a week and regularly is inbetween them, could have been just for that one study, but they used the draeger 5000 and its limit was set for the universal for most countries ( whatever that may be ) and the "occasional" test subject passed, which is no surprise having never touched the drug before, the regular user passed at 24hrs, but the heavy user failed at 30hrs and every other time and the study was concluded.

That may be irrelevant just thought it might interest anyone reading this but to me it means that eventually any user will build up the trace elements to eventually fail the drug test, be it a regular user or less, when THC residue is dependant on fat and everything, surely if someone smoked regularly 5 joints a week lets say, and they do a drug test and pass, its hit and miss for them 6 or 12 months down the line with another drug test when THC levels is also dependant on diet, fitness, activity level, ect. of everyone consumer.

We've previously had a pretty good discussion on what you raise in the "Drug driving new laws" thread which has various links to studies etc and details on the testing which deals with what you raise. Post #83 onwards deals with the current drug testing laws.

Yachtcarpenter

TheImp34 wrote: »

From what I read about it a few months ago, all that is true, but what I dont' understand is that they actually have a limit with no parameters when its a non regulated drug.

Alcohol is regulated so the limit is understandable and after a short time, ( 12hrs or whatever it may be), its safe to say that you will pass a breath test and a urine test or whatever may possibly follow it, once your past the set time which is easily calculated for a controlled substance.

But how can they say after 6hrs you should pass a drug test, and 24hrs if your uncertain, with a (unknown?) Limit of an unregulated illegal drug that differs between people who use occasionally, regularly and heavily?

What I've seen from studies is that " Occasionally " actually means for the first time, having never smoked, heavily is 21 joints a week and regularly is inbetween them, could have been just for that one study, but they used the draeger 5000 and its limit was set for the universal for most countries ( whatever that may be ) and the "occasional" test subject passed, which is no surprise having never touched the drug before, the regular user passed at 24hrs, but the heavy user failed at 30hrs and every other time and the study was concluded.

That may be irrelevant just thought it might interest anyone reading this but to me it means that eventually any user will build up the trace elements to eventually fail the drug test, be it a regular user or less, when THC residue is dependant on fat and everything, surely if someone smoked regularly 5 joints a week lets say, and they do a drug test and pass, its hit and miss for them 6 or 12 months down the line with another drug test when THC levels is also dependant on diet, fitness, activity level, ect. of everyone consumer.

http://m.seattlepi.com/local/article/Is-the-limit-for-stoned-while-driving-too-high-4233733.php

Worth a read, they use the same device and limits in most us states. Probably the most credible person / source I've found.