Bieber's Urine Test: Xanax and Pot

The Miami Herald reported that "sources close to the investigation" leaked the results of Justin Bieber's urine test to them. According to the Herald sources, the test revealed the presence of Xanax and pot. It normally takes over a month to get a urine test result from the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office. But, when your defendant is a teenage pop star, things move a little quicker.

My experience tells me that this is a preliminary toxicology screen and will be confirmed by gas chromatography at the University of Miami Toxicology Lab.

What does this mean for the defense?

It will be easier for them to deal with the pot, as THC can remain in the body and be released as a waste product in urine for weeks, or even months after ingestion. Xanax has a much shorter half-life and will be eliminated much faster. The lab will need to do a quantitative analysis for the amount of each substance and also to see if there is anything but a metabolite (the broken down by-product).

If the urine results hold up, the defense will have to attack them as waste products. Making this tougher will be the physiological symptoms observed and gathered by the Miami Beach Police during the drug recognition evaluation (DRE). And, don't forget the alleged admissions of Xanax and pot use.

For more information about my firm Jonathan Blecher, P.A. and my qualifications, please visit my website www.duilawdefense.com.