It is known that most drugs whether
they are prescription or illegal could cause impairment to anyone who is
driving a vehicle. In retrospect, too much drug intake could cause DUI (Driving under the Influence) of drugs
and this article here is to refresh your knowledge of the certain drugs to help
you avoid being indicted of it the future.
Prescription drugs
Prescription drugs are drugs
prescribed by medical professionals and can be taken from pharmacies. However,
despite them being approved by doctors, prescription drugs can also result to addiction
and a lot of people use doctor
shopping just to get drugs that are not actually prescribed to them. This
is a violation of Nevada
prescription drug laws.
Here are some of the prescription
drugs that could impair your system and cause driving under the influence of drugs:
- Benzodiazepine – An anti-anxiety drug, benzodiazepine could render a person drowsy, dizzy, and feeling tired. Common forms of benzodiazepine are Valium and Xanax.
- Painkillers – Codeine, hydrocodone, and Vicodin are painkillers that cause lightheadedness, constipation, and overall difficulty to concentrate when taken on an excessive amount.
- Sleeping pills – As their name, sleeping pills dozes off a person and while usually taken at night, its effects could last until the next day when you are driving.
- Decongestants – Pills, nose drops, and liquids that are used to treat cold or allergies can be detrimental to drivers as it could cause sleepiness, irritation, and high blood pressure.
Illegal drugs
The following drugs are illegal in
the State of Nevada for its strongly addicting properties that could really
affect someone’s ability to drive.
- Cocaine – Short terms effects of cocaine include extreme euphoria, nausea, hallucination, and psychosis.
- Methamphetamine – A psychostimulant drug, methamphetamine or meth produces intense ecstasy which is the typical reason for many arrests of driving under the influence of drugs.
- Heroin – With heroin, breathing and heartbeats are slowed and one’s mental presence becomes unsteady.
- Marijuana – While recreational marijuana is legal in Las Vegas and the rest of Nevada, you still cannot drive while using it.
How is drug impairment measured?
When a police officer asks you to
pull over, they usually already have some suspicions that you were driving under the influence of
drugs. Field sobriety tests and chemical blood alcohol tests are some of
the procedures taken to find out if you are actually drug-impaired, and written
in the Nevada Revised Statutes is the amount of drugs
found in your urine and blood that would mean your incrimination.
What happens if charged for drugged driving?
A first DUI caused by drugs is a
misdemeanor in Nevada. This imposes a jail time of up to six months and fines
that should not exceed $1,000. A second and third offense within seven years is
a felony and it does not matter if it is a mild prescription drug or a robust
illegal drug that you have taken, you can still be penalized depending on the
frequency and the scale of your DUI offense.
With the help of a DUI lawyer in Las Vegas, your drugged
driving charges could be lowered to reckless driving or be acquitted
altogether. Get in touch with one now today to quickly solve your dilemmas of driving under the influence of
drugs!