Prosecutor Sergeant Andrew Coombs said the fact Benjamin James Hochwimmer had cannabis and methamphetamine in his system made the mid-range charge "much more serious".

He told magistrate Miranda Moody that the maximum jail sentence for having a prescribed concentration of alcohol was nine months' jail.

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But the maximum for a charge that also incorporated an illicit drug presence in blood was 18 months behind bars.

"Obviously he's developing a drug and alcohol problem," Ms Moody said.

Albury Local Court has heard that Hochwimmer, 32, was on a conditional release order for low-range drink-driving at the time he was pulled over.

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Police were patrolling Albury on July 13 when they saw a Toyota Hilux heading north on David Street just after 11.30pm.

The utility's attached spotlights and headlights were on high beam, blinding traffic approaching from the other direction.

Police pulled Hochwimmer over and he provided a high-range result to a preliminary breath test.

Hochwimmer was arrested and taken to Albury police station, where a breath analysis produced a reading of 0.132, at the high end of the mid-range.

He told police he had six beers between 2pm and 10.30pm, without having anything to eat.

Hochwimmer then gave a positive result to cannabis from an oral fluid test, and a later forensic examination detected the "ice".

Hochwimmer was fined $1000, was placed on a 12-month community corrections order and disqualified from driving for three months.

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