How Do Police Test For The Presence Of Drugs In A Person’s System?

If the police suspect that there are drugs in someone’s system after an arrest, they will request a blood test or a urine test. A urine test is usually used to detect marijuana. If it’s some other type of drug suspected, they’ll typically ask for a blood test.

What Happens If The Driver Is Suspected To Be Under The Influence Of A Substance Other Than Alcohol?

If the officer suspects that a driver is under the influence of drugs, they will ask them if they’ve consumed any illegal drugs or prescription drugs. They’ll ask the citizen to step out of the car and administer field sobriety tests. Some of those tests are designed specifically to detect drugs, particularly the vertical gaze nystagmus test.

Are Standardized Field Sobriety Tests Typically Requested In A Drug DUI Case?

Many of the same field sobriety tests are requested in a drug DUI case as in an alcohol DUI case. Sobriety testing is typically something that is requested just to see if the officer has enough evidence to arrest.

What Is A Drug Recognition Expert? What Sort Of Training Do They Have?

A drug recognition expert (DRE) has extensive training. They go through a rigorous six month program where they learn about drugs, the different types of symptoms that they cause, and the various types of telltale signs of those drugs. For instance, often the eyes can give an officer a good indication of whether there are drugs on board. They’ll take a look at the pupils. One of the tests that they’ll administer is a pupilometer to measure the size of the pupils. They also have a lot of live lab experience, where they get to test people who are actually on drugs and see if they can successfully detect them.

Should I Ever Admit To Taking Prescription Medication In Front Of Law Enforcement?

I advise citizens not to admit to anything related to drugs, even prescribed drugs. When they admit to those sorts of things, it normally escalates the investigation and causes the officer to have further suspicions, which makes it grow into a situation where an arrest is made. The best bet is not to admit to using any type of drug. There’s a big misconception in Georgia that if someone takes a prescription drug, then it’s okay to drive on that drug. That’s simply not true. If it’s a mind altering drug or it has a warning label that says not to operate machinery, you absolutely can still be arrested, even though a doctor prescribed the drug to you.

For more information on Testing For Presence Of Drugs In Georgia, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (404) 681-4000.