A new law taking effect today makes it a crime to use marijuana in a motor vehicle. Metairie Republican Representative Laurie Schlegel brought the bill in the legislature. She says she thought of the bill after witnessing people in New Orleans, driving around smoking weed.
“You know, just smelling people smoking marijuana in a car. And now that medical marijuana is legal, I just it would be good just to make sure people know that smoking marijuana in a car would not be a good thing.”
Schlegel says, with smokable medical marijuana now legal, it’s a good idea to establish where one CANNOT use it.
“Obviously there are other laws that address people with impaired driving, but this law specifically addresses the actual act of smoking marijuana while driving ion a car.”
Schlegel’s new law prohibits smoking marijuana in a moving motor vehicle for both the operator AND any passengers. She says the law also applies to vaping marijuana.
“…as obviously that became a form of smoking, so it was added to this law as well.”
Those caught using marijuana in a moving vehicle will face a $100 fine – even if they are using legal medical marijuana.
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