Driving under the influence of marijuana and the dangerous effects that it has may be less talked about, but this does not mean that it is any less of a serious crime. Although medical marijuana can be legally prescribed, this does not have any effect on the fact that it is illegal to drive under the influence of the drug.
It is a sad fact that over 18 percent of drivers who died in crashes in 2009 tested positive for either prescribed medication or illegal drugs. This goes to show that drugs have a very strong effect on driver safety, and care must go into making sure that you are never driving under the influence of any drug that could affect your driving, even if it has been prescribed by your doctor.
It is important that you are very careful with the use of marijuana, since it is not flushed out of the body as rapidly as alcohol. Marijuana can be detected in the blood stream for up to five weeks after it is taken. Therefore, you should consider your drug use carefully before operating a vehicle, especially if you are concerned that your use of drugs and driving could lead to a charge.