Cannabis & Cars® Attorney Serving Greater Seattle, Washington

Cannabis, Cars, and DUI Laws

We are proud of our work defending clients who are pulled over on suspicion of DUI here in Bellevue, Seattle, and throughout Washington State as well as George L. Bianchi’s many published legal papers. In recent years, he has done numerous presentations to other lawyers nationally and locally detailing the history of marijuana use and its effects on the human body. Lawmakers and law enforcement officials are treating cannabis the same as alcohol, but there are actually many differences in how it affects driving performance.

“Cannabis & Cars®” addresses the scientific studies about when, and at what level, marijuana impairs driving capabilities, as well as how marijuana is absorbed and eliminated. Cannabis & Cars® provides an essential compilation of various marijuana-related DUI laws throughout the United States. He also explains how to navigate these distinctions when dealing with out-of-state convictions for comparable offenses and mandatory sentence enhancements. Lastly, the presentation covers details of the DUI/DWI investigation phases for alcohol and how it pertains to the DUI/DWI investigation of marijuana.

The Phases of Marijuana Investigation

A DWI/DUI investigation will be in three phases. These include:

Phase one: Vehicle in motion

Phase two: Personal contact

Phase three: Prearrest screening

This progression is well-established and deemed effective by law enforcement officials for alcohol. However, it is much harder to accurately determine the level of impairment if there is suspected marijuana use involved. There is also the complication, while alcohol leaves the circulatory system within a day or so, marijuana can be detected weeks later, which would obviously affect accurate testing in the field.

To be clear, we are not advocating smoking marijuana before driving. There is still an increased risk of fatal collisions than for sober drivers. The drug and the alcohol-free driver is the safest one. But it appears that the decriminalization of marijuana may not be as grave a public concern for traffic safety as with alcohol. This could be an impact on any defense an attorney chooses to make in this regard and could impact future laws.

Contact Us to Learn More About Cannabis & Cars®

George can be reached by calling or by emailing the firm.