May 8, 2013
Colorado recently legalized marijuana for recreational use, and a hot topic of debate has been how to determine when a person is “too high to drive” and at risk of causing a Colorado car accident. A definition was one step closer to being established earlier this week when lawmakers passed House Bill 1325.
9 News reports the Senate approved the bill that establishes a 5-nanogram per milliliter of blood limit on the amount of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) a person can have in their system when behind the wheel of a car. THC is the ingredient in marijuana that is responsible for intoxication.
A driver who is caught in violation of the law can be charged with driving under the influence.
Those in favor of the bill say a standard is needed in order to keep motorists safe from the dangers of intoxicated drivers. Those opposed to the law claimed the blood limit may not be a fair way to determine a person’s intoxication because of how slow the drug breaks down in the body.
The law is similar to limits set in the state of Washington, which is the only other state where the drug has been legalized.
The law is now being sent to the desk of the Governor, who is expected to sign the bill into law.
The Colorado Personal Injury Lawyers with the McDivitt Law Firm hope the law is effective in keeping intoxicated drivers off the state’s roadways.
