‘Why would they say 25 mins?’: Traffic stop sparks debate after passengers tell police they recently smoked marijuana

A body cam video shared on TikTok has sparked a debate over how far police can go during a routine traffic stop, with viewers divided over the officers’ actions and the passengers’ decisions. The footage, originally posted July 12 by user @joyce.hurlbut, begins with what appears to be a minor stop-sign violation before turning into a vehicle search.

The officer tells the female driver that she failed to make a complete stop at a stop sign and asks for her identification. She says she does not have her physical wallet but offers a photo of her ID instead, which the officer accepts.

Things take a turn when the officer asks the occupants to roll down the rear windows and whether there are any firearms inside the vehicle.

They immediately confessed

During the conversation, the officer notices what he describes as a marijuana blunt, or “blunt roach,” inside the car. He then asks the occupants when they last smoked. The driver responds, “Twenty-five minutes ago.”

The officer says the admission, along with what he claims to have seen inside the vehicle, gives him probable cause to search it. He orders everyone to turn off the engine and step out.

While they wait for backup, the passenger is questioned and patted down for weapons. He tells the officers that he was recently released from prison, is on his way to work and only recently acquired the vehicle.

The passenger also says he is concerned that someone else’s firearm could be hidden inside the car. The officer then reads him his Miranda rights.

The footage cuts off before showing what happened next. It is therefore unclear from the video whether anyone was arrested or whether officers found anything illegal inside the vehicle.

Even without a conclusion, the clip has attracted tens of thousands of views, and much of the discussion has focused on what the occupants told the officer.

“Why would you say 25 mins, that’s a dui,” one user commented.

“At least they are complying with the officers, that’s a plus,” another wrote.

Many viewers focused on the driver’s decision to tell the officer they had smoked cannabis 25 minutes earlier, with some calling the admission a major mistake. Others criticized the occupants for allegedly smoking inside a vehicle in the first place, arguing that doing so could create an unnecessary safety risk.

The officers also received some praise. A number of commenters said they appeared calm and professional throughout the encounter. Others saw it differently, arguing that the interaction went from a relatively ordinary traffic stop to a weapon search and pat-down more quickly than they felt was warranted.

It will all rely on state-specific laws

The exact location of the traffic stop has not been verified, making it difficult to determine whether the officers acted lawfully based solely on the footage. Rules governing vehicle searches, cannabis possession and passenger searches can differ depending on the state and the specific circumstances of a stop.

For now, the video has left viewers with more questions than answers — and another viral example of how quickly a routine traffic stop can become complicated once officers spot something they believe gives them reason to investigate further.