Several states have legalized marijuana for recreational use, including Illinois as of January 1, 2020. That poses problems for police officers who may suspect men and women of driving under the influence but who have not been drinking. Breath tests currently in use don’t verify whether you have a certain amount of the active chemical THC in your blood. A criminal defense attorney in Mattoon, IL, represents clients who want to fight DUI charges.
About THC
A blood or urine test is used to confirm THC in your system. However, THC lingers in the body long after its intoxicating effects have worn off. The chemical may still be there days or even weeks later. This characteristic of THC can help a criminal defense attorney in Mattoon, IL, prevent a conviction of DUI.
Legal Traffic Stops
As with alcohol-related DUI, police officers are not supposed to stop drivers who have shown no sign of impairment or who do not have a safety issue with the vehicle. Just because a person stumbles while walking out of a bar does not give the police officer a legal reason to stop this individual once he or she starts driving. An officer outside the bar who smells marijuana smoke on a patron heading for a vehicle cannot pull the driver over for that reason alone.
For a legal DUI stop, you must have acted in a way that could indicate impairment or there must be a problem with the vehicle like a burned-out taillight. If this was not the case, get in touch with Britton Law Offices, LLC, using contact details at
