Yes. People taking Xanax can be pulled over and charged for drugged driving.
Xanax is a brand name of Alprazolam. It is a sedative, from a family of anti-anxiety medications called benzodiazepines. These drugs work by depressing the central nervous system. They make people feel relaxed and calm. They are used as a short-term treatment for anxiety and insomnia (See Medline Plus for further information)
Similar drugs include:
- Librium
- Doral
- Valium
- Ativan
Taking Xanax and then driving can leave drivers too calm – it can impair a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle safely. Drivers may be too sedated to notice hazards and react to them appropriately.
If you are taking Xanax, you should consider very carefully whether you are able to drive safely before deciding to do so; if you consumed alcohol with Xanax then definitely do not drive. Xanax is a benzodiazepine. It is well known to the scientific community, police, and prosecutors that benzodiazepines enhance the effects of alcohol. In Pennsylvania drug and drug and alcohol combined DUI charges result in punishment in the highest tier.
If you find yourself pulled over for whatever reason, do not tell the police officer you took Xanax . Even if taken in for a blood test. Most people do not know that unless a police officer specifically requests that their blood be tested for Xanax , that it will not be found. The reason for that is the blood must be put into a gas chromatograph specifically set up to test for benzodiazepines. If a police officer only suspects alcohol the lab won’t look for Xanax . Therefore, even if it is present in a driver’s blood it won’t be found and that can possibly avoid enhanced DUI penalties based on the presence of drugs.
When pulled over by a police officer, silence is always golden.