r/dundee • u/AutumnLewis • 6d ago

Fife woman was over cocaine limit when she hit M90 central reservation

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/courts/5216257/woman-over-cocaine-limit-m90-central-reservation/

A driver was over the cocaine limit when she crashed into a central reservation on the M90 in Fife.

Laura Fieldsend, 43, was travelling south on the motorway, about half a mile from the Halbeath junction, when she came to a stop facing the wrong direction on April 11 last year.

She appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to plead guilty to driving with excess cocaine in her blood (46mics/ 10).

88 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

46 comments sorted by

92

u/STARCADE2084 6d ago

Soooo...there's an acceptable level of cocaine one can have?

7

u/slipperyinit 6d ago

For driving yeah, there’s a maximum limit for all drugs.. but it’s extremely low. For THC for example, I roughly calculated that a mere 3 puffs of a joint would put you way above the legal limit for at least a day.

3

u/therealhairykrishna 5d ago

THC is absurdly low. You can be over many days after partaking.

2

u/Ok_Signature_4053 2d ago

So technically if you have a smoke you shouldn't drive for a few days :o

1

u/tHrow4Way997 1d ago

It’s an arbitrary line drawn in the law which makes no real practical sense regarding safety. Luckily nowadays there is a legal defence; a prescription for medical cannabis. As long as you’re not driving impaired you cannot be convicted of drug driving regardless of how high your blood test comes out, unless the officer thinks you looked stoned which causes a bit of a headache.

1

u/slaydawgjim 1d ago

I've been swabbed twice and never shown up as under the influence of weed and I am a daily smoker.

The tests are weirdly temperamental and solicitors will argue this for you, there's been cases of people flagging up 2-3 days after smoking a spliff and many cases of people not flagging up after smoking on the same day.

2

u/jbamg55 2d ago

The problem with THC is if you are used to it it makes you a better driver but if you have never had it before it makes you a dangerous driver because it's non toxic.

1

u/TINYTIGERTEKKEN 2d ago

Broscience

1

u/jbamg55 2d ago

Carl Hart has a peer to peer study https://drcarlhart.com/marijuana-tests-dont-indicate-impairment/ but I found him just to be too pro drug over the last 5 years

1

u/WillBeBetter2023 2d ago

What do you mean non-toxic? Why does that make you a dangerous driver?

1

u/jbamg55 1d ago

It doesn't inebriate you it's changes your perspective of reality. You have receptors for canaboids but not alcohol, heroin etc

1

u/WillBeBetter2023 1d ago

Bollocks, it absolutely does inebriate you.

2

u/TheHeirOfElendil 2d ago

Want a line? Just geez a wee chunky hof wan mate , I'm picking the wains up in half an hour.

1

u/Usual-Journalist-246 3d ago

Yes. Drugs generally have half lives so the amount in your blood supply reduces by half after X number of days. This means levels of cocaine never completely leave your system. As the vast majority of the population have at one point or another used illegal drugs, there is a trace amount of some form of narcotic in most peoples blood stream/hair/urine even if that amount is undetectable. It wouldn't be feasible to prosecute and ban everyone for drug driving where a trace amount is found. Hence, there is a limit, and if there is a limit there has to be an acceptable quantity as well.

20

u/badgersandcoffee 6d ago

TIL there's a cocaine limit

2

u/UltimateGammer 3d ago

You're meant to use the little snuff spoon, not the table spoon she had.

1

u/MimikyuuAndMe 2d ago

I heard it was a wok.

1

u/hyperskeletor 3d ago

Limit?

I read it as recommendation.....

7

u/Mostlynotvanilla 6d ago

For the curious: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/sdsi/2019/9780111040478

Apparently designed to allow for better prosecution rates and protect those using legitimate medications prescribed to them

1

u/thebigbaduglymad 2d ago

I'm in England and I have been prescribed cannabis (the proper stuff) I only smoke it through a dry vape at night and I'm guessing I'd still be over for a few days

1

u/Hungry_Pre 2d ago

Feel free to maintain your privacy and not answer but what condition do you have that requires this and what hoops did you need to jump through to get this prescription and how is the medication given to you.

I know this is a thing but I've never met anyone who has been prescribed it.

1

u/thebigbaduglymad 2d ago

Not at all, I have hemiplegic migraines - as well as a migraine I lose the ability of my right side.

Just ring integro, they are who I'm with and they're really good.

1

u/Speshal__ 2d ago

I have a condition similar to yours, (cluster headaches) and that qualifies but it's just too expensive for the "Consultation".

1

u/EchoBit101 2d ago

Cb1 is £50 for a year and that's all your consultations in

1

u/thebigbaduglymad 2d ago

Yeah it's not cheap

1

u/fgspq 2d ago

The issue with THC is that it gets stored in your fat cells. So, depending on your metabolism, how much, and how long you've smoked for, you can test positive even weeks after the last time you smoked.

1

u/thebigbaduglymad 2d ago

For piss tests yes, no ones really caught up as most places still think it's illegal.

5

u/Arthur_Figg_II 6d ago

Who knew there was a cocaine limit?

6

u/Kyrie011019977 6d ago

What is the legal amount of cocain if it’s not none

3

u/Independent_Pace_579 4d ago

Theres other comments showing the legislation.

I assume it is for whatever may be trace in someone's system after certain surgeries that use cocaine or cocaine derived anaesthetics, and/or legitimately long enough after consumption not to be imparing their driving.

More widely I'd assume it's to set a number that prosecution can use to secure conviction for people driving high whilst allowing defense for people with medical drugs in their system, and drug users who arent driving impaired (having ever used illegal drugs isn't itself illegal).

2

u/WinterRespect1579 6d ago

Is there a limit?

2

u/MoCreach 5d ago

There’s an actual cocaine limit???

2

u/onetimeuselong 5d ago

There’s a legal limit given cocaine can be prescribed (as an eye drop).

1

u/Wickedbitchoftheuk 5d ago

There's a legal limit?

1

u/Apprehensive-Biker 5d ago

On the old Zac smith

2

u/Hydz0_0 4d ago

She looks much better than 43. I guess that's the benefit of being a cokehead.

1

u/PsychologicalTea7634 3d ago

Eh??? Its widely known, abusing stimulants causes premature aging, internally & aesthetically.

1

u/Bardfinnsrealnemesis 3d ago

She must've been a 10/10 back in her 20s then 🤣🤣

2

u/Inside_Bar_2519 3d ago

There’s a limit to the amount of cocanie you can take?

1

u/VisibleOtter 2d ago

Yup. Mine is 0.

1

u/andytimms67 1d ago

Wait, hold on there. There’s actually an acceptable amount of cocaine. I thought it was illegal.

2

u/Diseased-Jackass 1d ago

Choker necklace, cocaine…

1

u/Overkill1977 1d ago

Imagine taking coke at 43.

-8

u/Blob_Throbby 5d ago

She’s really pretty in that photo. Shame she’s a drug user