Most of the time, the term “DUI” refers to driving under the influence of alcohol. However, it’s important to note that it does not only refer to alcohol, and you definitely can get one even if you have not had a single drink.
After all, you can certainly be under the influence of other drugs. These can impair your ability to drive. If they do, you could still face arrest, even when your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) comes back as .00%.
Examples include:
- Marijuana
- Heroin
- Cocaine
- Prescription medications
Illegal drugs often get the most attention, but it is possible to get arrested even if you’re not under the influence of anything illegal. Many fully legal prescription medications can alter your ability to drive. You could also run into issues if you are taking those drugs without the proper prescription.
On top of all of this, you need to consider how alcohol interacts with other drugs. This could lead to impairment after a small amount of drinking, such as a glass of wine with dinner, if the prescription medication interacts dangerously with that alcohol. Again, your BAC could come back well under the legal limit of .08%, but you could still get arrested if you are impaired.
If you do get picked up by the police, you need to know all of your defense options. This is especially true if you did not think you were impaired, and you were shocked by the arrest. Remember, a DUI conviction can have quite the impact on your career, your wallet and the rest of your life.