LAPD sets up checkpoints to keep people safe on 420

HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It's a day for cannabis lovers to celebrate - 4/20. But now that marijuana is legal in California, authorities set up DUI checkpoints to make sure people were having fun responsibly.

"If you're going to go out and use cannabis recreationally, or alcohol recreationally - have a plan. If you go out and you don't have a plan, that's not a good idea and things don't usually wind up well," LAPD Sgt. James Tomeo said.

A checkpoint in Hollywood was one spot where drivers were randomly selected for DUI tests. The goal was to find high and drunk drivers.

If you're driving high and an officer believes you're impaired, they can make an arrest. There is no hard-and-fast rule yet that determines how high you have to be to get a DUI.

"At this point, the courts have yet to determine a minimum threshold as with alcohol is a .08," Tomeo said.

So what signs are authorities looking for?

"Right now, one of the big indicators for cannabis is the smell. The driver will pull up, will put down their window and it's apparently obvious," Tomeo said.

Authorities will also conduct a field sobriety test and arrest you if you fail because a DUI doesn't mean it's only for booze. If you are driving while stoned and get caught, you will face the same penalties and consequences for drunk driving.