Although it is completely possible to still be intoxicated the morning after a late night of drinking, the risk getting a DUI essentially vanishes a day or two after your activity. This may be beneficial information if, for example, you have a Saturday night bachelor party that runs into the late morning hours of Sunday and your due at work on Monday. Although you may not feel very well, you run little risk of receiving a DUI. Unfortunately, the same quick metabolism does not apply to pot, and when it comes to driving under the influence of drugs, your activity from days ago may be enough to result in a DUI charge.
The reason employers can use random drug testing to evaluate their employees’ drug activity is because many illegal substances, most notably marijuana, remains present in the system for weeks. In fact, marijuana has been known to stay in the system for up to 30 days.
Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the impairing element in marijuana, can be stored in the body for longer periods of time until it is metabolized by the liver or excreted in waste. Other illegal substances, such as cocaine, are flushed from the body through the process of urination and usually cleared from the system within a few days.
So is it possible to receive a DUI from drug activity days old? Of course it is. Many states have guidelines set that limit the amount of impairing drugs a driver can have in their system without receiving a DUI charge. Individuals that are facing DUI charges for driving under the influence of marijuana may benefit by speaking with an experienced criminal defense attorney. With their help, DUI and other drug charges may be significantly reduced or even eliminated.