Medical marijuana patient Melanie Brinegar was arrested on an accusation of driving under the influence of drugs, and a blood test showed that her THC level was nearly four times the legal limit.
Nonetheless, Brinegar decided to fight the allegation, arguing that THC lingers in the system for far longer than alcohol does and pointing out that she had not been driving in a manner that denoted intoxication (she was pulled over for an expired license tag). And a jury agreed, finding her not guilty.
Our post about Brinegar drew a large response from people who feel the THC standard established by Colorado is an unfair effort to equate marijuana with alcohol even though the substances are vastly different.
Here are three examples.
Jeh Cranfill writes:
Wonderful to hear! I hope more and more people fight these charges. The limit set is in no way scientific or indicative of actual impairment.Clint Jahn writes:
The problem with testing for THC is that it remains in your system for nearly a month after last use. While I support prosecuting drivers for DUI if under the influence of marijuana, those prosecutions should be backed up by additional evidence such as video evidence of impaired driving, an accident, or a pipe in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. I see people smoking weed while driving on a regular basis, and that is an easy bust. Prosecuting someone simply based on an inaccurate and misleading blood test is not good policy.Kathy Wedzik writes:
Drug testing means nothing...we have receptors in out bodies that attract and hold onto THC..does not mean your are impaired..this why drug testing for THC/cannabis is not reliable...never has been.... I stand by my assessment that we are engaging in human rights violations and discrimination when it comes to cannabis by way of these drug tests.Send your story tips to the author, Michael Roberts. For more memorable takes, visit our Comment of the Day archive.
