Cannabis legalization is spreading across the United States, both recreationally and medically. This raises thorny legal questions, but let’s just focus on one. When are you too high to drive?

That’s a tougher question than it seems, especially for people who use medicinal cannabis. When both states and the federal government made cannabis illegal, any suggestion of cannabis was a slam-dunk for DUI. Now, it’s much murkier, especially with medical cannabis. The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled late last year that users of medical cannabis can contest their DUIs. Now officers must prove that the driver was too high to drive, rather than just assuming that any amount of cannabis means the driver is too high.

Randall B. Isenberg, a DUI lawyer in Dallas, said, “Finding someone legally DUI on medical marijuana is hard. There is no nationwide standard for marijuana intoxication like there is for alcohol. Also, marijuana can have different effects at the same dosage in different people. That’s why some states have to provide additional proof that medical marijuana drivers were actually intoxicated at the time of an arrest.”

The Troubles with THC Measurement

Let’s break this statement down. First, what are the limits? All states with legalized cannabis in any form state that if an officer determines that your driving was bad enough, that could be evidence of intoxication. But using a measurement of THC in the body, like we do with blood-alcohol content measurements for drunk driving, has scientific problems.

THC byproducts last much longer in the body than alcohol does because THC is fat-soluble. These byproducts are measured with chemical tests. Since they aren’t flushed out through urine, these byproducts can persist long after any intoxication is gone. Therefore, medical cannabis users are in a precarious situation. If you need cannabis to deal with an illness, does that mean you can’t drive for the rest of your life? That’s what the Arizona case was about.

No Hard Limit for Intoxication

Prosecutors would love to have a hard line for intoxication like the 0.08 limit used in most states for alcohol intoxication. Several states have ruled that 5ng/ml of THC metabolites in the body is an adequate limit. However, in chronic users, these metabolites can build up over time and create an impression that someone is very intoxicated when they are perfectly safe to drive.

There is a rush right now to create the equivalent of a THC breathalyzer that directly measures the core psychoactive compound rather than measuring metabolites. There are devices in Europe that can detect active THC with a swab test, but it doesn’t say how much THC may be active. Hound Labs and several other companies are working hard to get a THC breathalyzer to market. Once someone figures out how to measure active THC in the body, rather than metabolites, prosecutors can start getting the data they need to pursue cases with confidence.

Yet even if we had accurate measurements, there is still the question of what the actual limit is before you’re too high to drive. The research isn’t there. Thanks to the decades of prohibition of the drug, including for research, there’s no hard data on how much THC is needed to make someone unsafe to drive. This is the fundamental question that must be answered before we can really write laws that match the realities of the effects of THC on the body.

Until this question is answered and there is an accurate way to measure active THC in the body, consumers of medical cannabis will need to carefully watch their driving or forego it altogether. The risks of getting hit with a DUI are too great.

By Adam Torkildson

When you are going for an interview, you’re probably aware of all the cliché advice: come prepared, dress well, research well by reading books among others. Marc Anidjar, attorney and co-founder of Anidjar & Levine, P. A. says it’s important to remember that it’s your skills that matter, more than your knowledge. “It is the skills you get from the books that will earn you a job and not the number of books you’ve read.”

But beyond these obvious tips, there is one crucial way which you can impress the interviewer and get an increased chance of landing the job: just show how good of a cultural fit you’re for that particular company.

What does this mean exactly? Well, in an interview, ensure that you create an image of yourself that proves that you’ll adapt to this culture.

“People aren’t just hiring you for that particular position, but they are also hiring somebody who’s going to comply with their culture,” says Samantha Ettus, who is highly experienced, after working with various companies including Target, Google, Yahoo, and more.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Work on your handshake: Do not offer up a sweaty or flimsy hand. Instead, when you meet prospective employers, offer a firm handshake—with 1-2 pumps from the elbow to the hand. It is a good way to express your confidence and commence the interview on the right note.
2. Be serious: If you take your casual approach to the initial interview, you may be sealing your fate. Therefore job seekers should handle every interview as if it is their one and only opportunity to sell themselves to the recruiter.
3.  Show enthusiasm: go to an interview with a positive attitude. Most interviewers won‘t even think twice about somebody who has a negative presence. “You are selling yourself, by expressing the positivity that you‘ll bring to the office each morning,” explains Alison Richardson, who is a recruiter for various New York financial organizations. “That friendly demeanor and smile go a long way.”
4. Be inquisitive: When interviewing for a new vacancy, it‘s important to have some questions to ask the potential employer. The questions could include: What are some of the possible challenges?  What do you consider to be the ideal requirement for the position? Do you’ve any concerns which I need to clear up so as to be the top candidate? What is the most significant thing I can do to assist within the first 90-days of my employment?
5. Show restraint: in an interview, what you avoid saying may be as important as what you say. As a rule, do not talk about benefits or money, especially during the first interview. Instead, you should go to an interview already informed if you fit the parameters. Do not badmouth your past employers. Companies don‘t hire complainers. More importantly, don‘t mention outside part-time jobs or career aspirations. Employers are looking for guys who will be part of their organizations for the next decade and beyond, and not the “trial-and-error” characters.
6. Tell a story: the interviewer not only want to know exactly about your experiences and skills but also he or she wants to know more about you. However, don‘t shift from routine answers to stories; instead, work your answers into anecdotes or stories about yourself. People recall the individuals who are interesting, therefore, prove your value by sharing stories which address the primary concern an interviewer may have—what can you do for us?

Having observed the above tips among other relevant requirements, you will be well on your way to landing the job you truly want.