Adderall and dui: Has anyone been... - CHADD's Adult ADH...

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Adderall and dui

Squirmy32 profile image
14 Replies

Has anyone been charged with dui while driving and taking prescribed adderall. Also, is there a certain amount of the drug found in a blood test which is considered to cause impairment?Thanks for any insight.

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14 Replies
BlessedLady profile image
BlessedLady

It is the responsibility of each driver to drive in a responsible manner. Taking prescription medication does not change that. I have never heard on anyone being charged with DUI because they were taking Adderall or other stimulants. That does not mean it has not or cannot be done. Did you blame reckless driving on your medication?

MorningDanceTrece profile image
MorningDanceTrece in reply toBlessedLady

Why do you assume that they were driving recklessly?That seems poor form.

People get falsely charged with driving under the influence because of side effects of prescribed medication that they are taking properly when they are driving properly all the time unfortunately.

I've been hearing about it for 36 years now.

STEM_Dad profile image
STEM_Dad in reply toMorningDanceTrece

Correct.

I got stopped at night by a police officer because my license plate lights weren't illuminating. During the stop, even though the officer did not ask me to get out of the car for a sobriety check, he did quickly shine his flashlight across my eyes, undoubtedly checking my pupillary reaction. My ADHD prescription at the time was atomoxetine (generic Strattera), which can cause pupil dilation. So, there was a strong possibility that the officer could have escalated to a field sobriety test.

• My kids and I had just come from a talent show in the next town over. (We were in the audience, not participants.) I showed the officer the show tickets. He gave me a "fix-it" ticket and let me go.

.....

The meds that I take aren't in the category of "controlled substances", but they can have similar physiological effects in some ways, which can cause suspicion.

The really funny thing about it is that, remembering how I was all the time before my Inattentive ADHD diagnosis, I had the perceptual delay and slower reaction times that I now only experience when I have an alcohol buzz.

• At least in my case, driving with untreated ADHD was like driving while (mildly) impaired. It was all the I'd known up until I started on my meds (with only an adrenaline rush making me more responsive and focused).

• So, the very thing that makes me a better driver could possibly make a traffic stop a problem for me, even without Adderall.

BlessedLady profile image
BlessedLady in reply toMorningDanceTrece

Because that is what DUI means. A driver is Always responsible for the way they drive.

MorningDanceTrece profile image
MorningDanceTrece in reply toBlessedLady

You accused the OP of driving *recklessly* quote.I asked you why would you seemingly falsely accuse them of reckless driving when there is nothing in the original post to indicate that there was any reckless driving going on at all.

Now you are trying to move the finish line in the middle of the race and say that you were talking about DUI which means driving under the influence not reckless driving.

If you were originally talking about driving under the influence I don't know why you said reckless driving instead of driving under the influence.

They are not the same thing.

As I pointed out in my first comment people take prescription drugs the way they are prescribed and may have side effects that aren't impairing.

As the other person commented when he is 'under the influence' of his medication he is a better driver than when he was not under the influence of anything.

That's why a lot of places like where I live do not use that vague and useless term but rather the much more helpful 'driving while impaired' -- DWI.

STEM_Dad profile image
STEM_Dad

I'm not qualified to give legal or medical advice.

My understanding is that as long as you were taking your medication as prescribed, you ought to be able to get the DUI charge dropped.

Some people do abuse Adderall or other stimulants, which is why it can be a DUI charge, but as long as you were taking your proper dosage and did not seem impaired, the law should side with you.

You should talk to a lawyer about this.

~~~~~

I've never been charged with a DUI.

Since different people require a different dosage, I do not know if there is a blood test level which would be considered impairment. If there is, then I would think that your doctor would tell you if your dosage is to strong that you should not operate a motor vehicle.

STEM_Dad profile image
STEM_Dad in reply toSTEM_Dad

So far, I've only found posted limits for commercial transportation (per Department of Transportation) of 250 ng/mL, and for handling of nuclear material of 50 ng/mL.

Individual states may have their own restrictions.

MorningDanceTrece profile image
MorningDanceTrece in reply toSTEM_Dad

🤣🤣 handling of nuclear material.Yeah we definitely don't want anyone handling that stuff impaired 🤦🏻‍♀️😬

STEM_Dad profile image
STEM_Dad in reply toMorningDanceTrece

I dunno. I'm much more clumsy without my meds. (But since I take non-stimulant meds, it would probably be okay. Then again, I'm still clumsy enough even WITH meds, I wouldn't want to work with nuclear materials.)

MorningDanceTrece profile image
MorningDanceTrece in reply toSTEM_Dad

If I had my druthers I wouldn't want to work with nuclear materials at all 🙀🤪I just found it hilarious this morning that there was seriously in a pamphlet about what not to do if you're taking this medication the admonition against doing so if you handle nuclear materials. 🤣

STEM_Dad profile image
STEM_Dad in reply toMorningDanceTrece

Hey, that's what Google turned up when I searched for blood test limitations for Adderall.

I couldn't resist passing along that but of info.

¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

MorningDanceTrece profile image
MorningDanceTrece in reply toSTEM_Dad

Made my day 😸👍🏻

Chionophile profile image
Chionophile

whoa- there’s a new fear unlocked! Did the person explain to the cop that this was a prescription medication? As in how did it get to be a DUI? Are there other details to know maybe? Not questioning the facts just want to make sure I understand too

Soton4ever profile image
Soton4ever

Just have to show your prescription, I guess you all can log in to some kind of website to get access to it? I was stopped once on vyvanse before I got a prescription myself 😏 Didnt lose my licence or anything but it cost me around 200. The amount I had in my body was equivalent to alcohol levels under the limit for losing the licence.

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