In addition to smoking or vaping cannabis, using THC edibles can also cause you problems when you get behind the wheel in South Dakota. Recreational cannabis use is illegal in the state, and you could find yourself facing a DUI charge if you are passing through the state with cannabis in your system.
Cannabis edibles are food products like candies, lozenges, chocolates, gummies or other baked goods infused or laced with cannabis extract. These edibles can come from a dispensary or from a home kitchen, and apart from a medical authorization, can get you into trouble.
Impaired driving with cannabis consumption
Edibles pose a similar risk for impairment as inhaling marihuana. Any impairment is not only illegal, but it also increases the potential for a car accident and injuries. Unfortunately, it is not as easy to determine when it is safe to drive after consuming edibles as it is after smoking or vaping cannabis.
Waiting period after consuming edibles
Edibles affect people differently, but the type of edible and concentration of cannabis also has an impact. Inhaling marijuana leads to effects that can last for six hours or longer, but edibles spend nearly twice that amount of time in the body. Edibles can also take two hours or longer for the effects to show, although four hours could pass before feeling the full effects of the marijuana.
As a general rule of thumb, waiting until a day or longer passes before driving can prevent after-effects consumption like highway hypnosis and other impairments. While recreational consumption is illegal within the state, this waiting period can decrease the risk of an accident and traffic stop if you are passing through or using medical marijuana.