Drug-Impaired Driving
Being accused of drug-impaired driving in Missouri is serious—and it isn’t limited to illegal drugs. Prescription medications, marijuana, and even some over-the-counter drugs can lead to a DWI charge if an officer believes you were impaired. The Lampin Law Firm will dig into the traffic stop, the officer’s observations, and any testing used to challenge the state’s case and protect your license.
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Protecting Your Rights in Drug-Impaired Driving (DWI Drugs) Cases
Many people don’t realize you can be arrested for DWI based on drugs, even when no alcohol is involved. In Missouri, a DWI charge can be based on alleged impairment from illegal drugs, marijuana (even with a medical card), prescription medications, or even certain over-the-counter products—if law enforcement believes the substance affected your ability to drive safely.
Drug DWI cases are often built on subjective observations: an officer’s interpretation of your driving, your behavior, your speech, or your performance on field sobriety tests that were largely designed for alcohol—not drugs. Some cases also involve urine or blood testing, but a lab result alone doesn’t automatically prove you were impaired at the time you were driving.
If you’re facing a drug-impaired driving allegation, you need a defense that focuses on the details—why you were stopped, whether the officer followed proper procedures, how the tests were administered, and whether the evidence truly supports impairment beyond a reasonable doubt. The Lampin Law Firm can walk you through what you’re up against and fight to protect your license, your record, and your future.
The use of any type of drug or medication which impairs or interferes with the driver’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle may potentially lead to an arrest and possibly a conviction.
DWI and Marijuana
As more states across the country continue to legalize marijuana in some form, cases for DWI intoxication by marijuana are becoming more and more common.
In fact, Missouri has recently legalized the recreational use of marijuana. However, this does NOT mean that you cannot be arrested for driving under the influence of marijuana. Just as it is legal to consume alcohol but illegal to drive after drinking too much, it is also against the law to drive while under the influence of marijuana.
Under Missouri law “intoxication” includes being under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, and any combination of the above. However, it is much more difficult for law enforcement to assess how much active THC is in a person’s system.
When a person is arrested for Driving While Intoxicated after consuming alcohol, the arresting officer can ask that person to submit to a breath test in order to determine how much alcohol is in their system (also known as their BAC or Blood alcohol content). This is simply not possible when the officer suspects that a person is impaired because of marijuana.
Therefore, in situations where marijuana use is suspected, an officer will usually request that the person suspected of DWI submit to a blood or urine test. If that person refuses, they are subject to the same consequences as drivers who refuse to submit to a breath test.
If you submit to a blood or urine test, a lab will test that sample to determine the amount of THC in your system.
Our attorneys are experienced in analyzing those test results and understand that the presence of THC in a person’s blood does not necessarily mean that they were intoxicated at the time that they were driving. We understand that many drugs, particularly marijuana, can be present in a person’s blood for weeks and even months after being consumed.
Drug DWI vs Alcohol DWI
Frequently, a special Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) may be brought in to conduct the investigation and perform special tests to determine whether you are impaired. Also, a DWI/DUI case involving drugs typically involves the collection of blood or urine.
The criminal defense attorneys at The Lampin Law Firm understand the complexities of drug-related DWI cases and know how to effectively defend against these charges.
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Contact Our Experienced DWI Lawyers
If you have been charged with a DWI for drugs, or any Driving While Intoxicated charge, do not hesitate to contact the criminal defense lawyers at The Lampin Law Firm for help. Among our team of experienced lawyers are two former prosecutors.
We are ready to immediately begin working on your case. With all DWI charges, there are important deadlines to appeal the suspension of your Missouri driver’s license.
Our Attorneys Have Over 100 Years of Combined Legal Experience.
37
Years of Experience
Charles E. Lampin
16
Years of Experience
Michael Boyd
38
Years of Experience
Ross Buehler
17
Years of Experience
Bond Wilkison
Highly Rated Drug DWI Defense Law Firm
