PhD Student from Israel Unlawfully Expelled from Czech University for Driving under Influence of THC

A young Israeli PhD candidate was supposedly driving under the influence of THC when he was pulled over by police near Brno in May 2013. His blood level was five times over the legal limit, however driver’s lawyer insisted there was no impairment, because the driver didn’t use cannabis for past 24 hours – and a doctor who examined him two hours later confirmed that there was no driving impairment.

Doing Wrong

Nevertheless Brno’s District and Regional Court fined the student with 20 000 Crowns and took away his driving license for fifteen months. What was even worse, the sentence effectively ended his doctoral studies in the Czech Republic, because he lost his visa. And now comes the decision of the Supreme Court invalidating both verdicts on the basis of missing psychiatric examination, which is, according to Supreme Court judges, essential for deciding whether one’s driving abilities are impaired by THC.

This decision may have serious implications not only for Israeli student, who is probably going to sue the state now, but more importantly also for the way Czech police is currently testing drivers for THC impairment.

More information on the subject: lidovky.cz