While both are arguably the most severe criminal charge that you could ever find yourself facing, it is important to note that these are two distinct charges – with different definitions. In the below article, the authors discuss each charge, as well as what makes each one different.

Studies have long since proven that the risks of drinking and driving abound. Recently, new tests and investigations have been made into the potential after effects of driving while impaired by drugs. In February of 2012, the British Medical Journal released a new report with a not so new conclusion: The consumption of cannabis (cannabinoids or marijuana) can dramatically increase the risk of driver impairment, and hence, motor vehicle collisions.

The Controlled Substances Act was passed in 1970 by Congress to help enrich the United States federal drug policy. As part of this act, different drugs are classified and placed into schedules – these schedules are then used to help determine regulations for possession, manufacture, importation and distribution.