• NABDad@lemmy.world
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      9 hours ago

      Breathalyzers are for if you want to find out if someone is actually intoxicated.

      Field sobriety tests are for when you want to arrest someone who isn’t intoxicated.

    • TheReanuKeeves@lemmy.worldOP
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      8 hours ago

      Not every officer has one and they can only determine if someone was under the influence of alcohol but not other substances

      • nimpnin@sopuli.xyz
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        6 hours ago
        1. get each traffic cop one 2) there are similar devices for the rapid testing of drugs as well
        • Semester3383@lemmy.world
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          4 hours ago

          Actually, no, there aren’t. As of this moment, there’s no way to know if you’re intoxicated by marijuana, and, since that’s legal in a number of US states, that’s a ‘problem’. (Although, let’s be real, stoned people tend to drive reeeeeeaaaaaalllllllllly slowly, not exactly hugely dangerous.) You can detect the metabolites with a urine or blood test, but that doesn’t tell you how long ago you used it, or if you’re still under the influence.

          • Tja@programming.dev
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            5 hours ago

            If they could? They have tanks, for fucks sake. They don’t lack resources.

            The only reason for bullshit tests is that the cop gets to feel powerful deciding himself instead of a specific measurement by a calibrated instrument.