Driving

Not to be outdone by legislators in Colorado, Washington state officials are considering setting a legal limit for the amount of THC in a driver's blood. Nevada and Ohio have two-nanogram limits for THC. Pennsylvania has a five-nanogram "guideline," but not a limit. Twelve states have a zero-tolerance policy for driving under the influence of any illicit drug, including marijuana. A group of 11 international scientists published a comprehensive study on the effects of THC on driving ability. They concluded that drivers do not pose a crash risk until they reach between 10-20 nanograms of THC per milliliter. They also determined that 18-20 nanograms is the equivalent of a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of .08, the current legal limit in most U.S. states.

Montana's House Judiciary Committee heard testimony on Representative Ken Peterson’s bill which aims to make it illegal to drive while on any dangerous drugs "per se." House Bill 33 also includes metabolite, or any molecule left in the body, yet excludes prescription medication if taken under doctors orders. "This bill makes sure you can’t drive while impaired under the influence of drugs and I don’t think this bill requires any showing of impairment, it deems somebody to be on the wrong side of the law merely for having a few molecules of certain substances in their blood," said medical marijuana patient Barbara Trego.