Newspaper Calls for New DUI Law for Medical Marijuana Users

The Editorial Board of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette has called for new driving laws to address the growing number of Pennsylvania residents using medical marijuana. Existing federal laws adopted by the state make it a crime to drive while having any level of marijuana in your blood. Yet marijuana metabolites can be present for days or weeks after ingesting, meaning that anyone who uses marijuana for medical reasons cannot drive legally. Driving laws need to catch up to marijuana legalization. The Editorial Board recommends using the same standards that apply to other prescription drugs. If police notice clear signs of impaired driving, they can stop the car and conduct field sobriety tests, before issuing a DUI to a medical marijuana user. Oregon has a similar law in place.