On September 12, 2024 Colin Murphy presented at the annual Iowa State Bar Association’s Bridge the Gap Seminar in Des Moines. The presentation focused on recurring issues in drugged driving cases. In particular, Colin demonstrated how defense attorneys can defend against OWI-drug charges involving marijuana. The drug defense attorneys at GRL Law frequently speak at […]
There is a growing trend in Iowa when it comes to OWI investigations, particularly those involving drugs other than alcohol. Peace officers are bypassing the standard implied consent procedures and seeking search warrants for blood instead. It’s not just for situations involving deaths or potentially fatal injuries. Yes, there’s a law authorizing search warrants in […]
Calhoun County, Iowa- A GRL Law client was involved in a single vehicle accident and was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Officers believed that the driver was under the influence of alcohol. Because the client was in the hospital and strapped to a bed, the client was asked by officers to submit a sample […]
The February 5, 2021 issue of Traffic Injury Prevention published results from an Australian study assessing the relationship between THC levels and driving performance. Volunteers consumed vaporized cannabis samples of varying potencies containing THC, CBD and a placebo. Blood and saliva samples were collected 30 minutes after inhalation and 3.5 hours later. Researchers evaluated driving […]
According to data recently published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, THC remained detectable in blood at levels greater than 2.0 ng/ml during several days of abstinence. Investigators affiliated with the University of British Columbia reviewed the relevant literature assessing residual THC plasma levels in those who regularly consume cannabis. They reported: “[I]n all […]
I recently came across a little-known study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology that raises serious questions regarding whether the gold standard in forensic urine testing could mistake hemp-derived CBD for THC. Many laboratories include derivatization as a part of their sample preparation for analysis by gas chromatography – mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Derivatization is the […]
