Do DUI blood tests test for THC?

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So I just got a DUI the other night in Scottsdale Arizona. I was celebrating my friend coming home after not seeing him for a while. We decided to smoke some pot and then go to the bar. Well I got pulled over a few hours later, and when they took me to the station they had my blood drawn. I haven't smoked weed in months prior to this so I'm a little worried. Will The marijuana show up in my blood test? Will they even look for it?


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  1. path less travelled says:
    December 26, 2009 at 8:59 am

    They certainly can test for THC if so directed.

    However, if you had not smoked in months, there would not be a problem. However, blood and urine readings would readily show if you smoked cannabis within hours, which in turn would be fairly easily inferred that you were under the influence of both alcohol (a legal substance, if illegally used) and cannabis (an illegal substance outright in most states unless under a medical prescription).

    THC will show up as metabolites in the urine fairly readily after smoking cannabis, because the liver begins to metabolize the molecules immediately, breaking the molecules down and then casting them through the bladder. Parts per volume can be determined and then inferred as to how recent the cannabis was smoked.

    Still being discerned by medical science labs and law enforcement is just what would constitute a dangerous and inebriating level of cannabis consumption when behind the wheel, as is already set for a person regarding alcohol consumption.

    Your concern is now with both because you smoked cannabis within only two or so hours before being pulled over by the police, which can be picked up in the urine and the blood. And in conjunction with the alcohol, the authorities may take into account both factors in the DUI.

    Your alcohol gradient is the primary factor, however, not the cannabis.

  2. UNCOLA says:
    December 26, 2009 at 8:59 am

    I don’t have any idea if they test for things besides alcohol. In this case you may have been better off doing a breathalyzer. Too late now, you will just have to wait and see. If your blood alcohol was over 0.08 it’s really moot, but I can’t imagine testing for THC is very reliable because of it’s very long half life. I would suggest talking to an attorney who specializes is DWI cases.

  3. Meagan K says:
    December 26, 2009 at 8:59 am

    It’s unlikely for it to show up in your system within a few hours, it usually takes longer than that. So you should be okay.

    The situation depends on the DUI. Did you get in an accident, or did you just get pulled over? If it wasn’t an accident, it’s not typical for them to test for THC.

    You would be better off asking this in the Law & Ethics section if you don’t get many more answers here, though… I’m sure they would know more about it over there.

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