Manassas Drug DUI Enforcement

Generally, law enforcement officials throughout Virginia do not treat DUI drug charges differently from traditional DUI charges. In Manassas, a DUI is prosecuted fairly the same regardless of the source of impairment. However, if a person is driving under the influence of illegal controlled substances, there is the possibility they may be facing charges in addition to DUI. In all instances where a person is facing a criminal offense for driving under the influence, they should get in touch with an experienced drug DUI lawyer in Manassas who can help them clear their name.

Differences in Enforcement from Alcohol DUI

There are a number of similarities between alcohol DUIs and drug DUIs in terms of how the traffic stop works and how the arrest process works. In each case, a Manassas police officer will conduct a traffic stop and will do a number of field sobriety tests in order to determine whether the individual is impaired.

After the arrest has happened, the process changes significantly. In an alcohol case, the person will take a breathalyzer test. In a drug case, the individual will be taken to a nearby hospital and be given a blood test.

Differences in Prosecution

Those differences create significant differences in how these matters are tried. The reason for this is that the process for obtaining blood, and the criteria and standard that the police and the medical professionals must follow while taking blood, are much more complicated than the process for administering a breathalyzer test. What this means is that there are more opportunities for the police to possibly do something incorrectly in the course of the blood test for a Manassas DUID charge than there are for them to do that to that in the course of the DUI arrest or breathalyzer is used.

Potential Future Changes in How Drug DUI is Treated

The trend in the United States towards marijuana legalization has not reached Virginia yet. Nor will it be something that it is going to happen anytime soon. At this time, officers in Manassas are still very aggressively attempting to detect marijuana use and marijuana possession in vehicles.

Because of this, it is very important for individuals, to understand that keeping marijuana in their vehicle is not advisable. Marijuana has a very distinct smell that police officers are familiar with. It is very frequently true during a traffic stop the person may find him or herself arrested and having their vehicle searched when an officer detects the odor of marijuana. Even if a person has not consumed any of the marijuana, police officers still have a case against a person for being in possession of it.

Do You Have to Consent to a Vehicle Search At a DUI or DUID Stop?

You never have to consent to a vehicle search during a DUI stop or any other time. If a person is arrested for DUI, then their vehicle will probably be searched on a couple of different valid bases. That having been said, it’s always a good idea to let the police know that you do not consent to a search.

In many cases, police will seek your consent to search your vehicle under circumstances where they don’t have the right to search the vehicle. It’s always important to firmly but politely let the police know that you do not consent searches.