Despite legality of pot, stoned driving hard to detect
By Brad Branan, Sacramento Bee
When a 22-year-old Hayward man allegedly slammed his Cadillac into a California Highway Patrol vehicle and killed Officer Andrew Camilleri on Christmas Eve, he was under the influence of alcohol and marijuana, officials said.
CHP reported that Mohammed Abraar Ali had a blood-alcohol level of .11, above the state limit of .08 for motorists. While it’s not clear how the agency documented Ali’s cannabis consumption, he said he got high at a Christmas party, authorities said.
Proving intoxication from weed is more difficult than it is with alcohol, as law enforcement does not have a device like a breathalyzer for alcohol. Without such a tool, law enforcement must rely more on roadside sobriety tests.