Marijuana use may double the risk of accidents for drivers

Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health ^ | October 6, 2011 | Unknown

[decimon]

October 6, 2011 -- Over 10 million people age 12 or older are estimated to have driven under the influence of illicit drugs in the prior year, according to a 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. While marijuana is the most commonly detected non-alcohol drug in drivers, its role in causing crashes has remained in question. To examine the link between marijuana use by drivers and risk of a car accident, researchers at Columbia University did a meta-analysis of nine epidemiologic studies and found that drivers who test positive for marijuana or report driving within three hours of marijuana use are more than twice as likely as other drivers to be involved in motor vehicle crashes. The researchers also found evidence that crash risk increases with the concentration of marijuana-produced compounds in the urine and the frequency of self-reported marijuana use.

According to the investigators 8 of 9 studies found that drivers who use marijuana are significantly more likely to be involved in crashes than drivers who do not. Only one small case-control study conducted in Thailand, where the prevalence of marijuana use is far lower than reported elsewhere, was the exception.

Full study findings are published online in Epidemiologic Reviews.

The analysis indicates that 28% of fatally injured drivers and more than 11% of the general driver population tested positive for non-alcohol drugs, with marijuana being the most commonly detected substance.

[HangThemHigh]

"In my experience I might have been more apt to crash but chances are I was only going 25mph."

Same here. By far the most likely accident for a pot impaired driver is being hit from behind.

I suspect the reason for this showing up in the statistics is people drinking and smoking pot together.

[rawcatslyentist]

>analysis indicates that 28% of fatally injured drivers and more than 11% of the general driver population tested positive for non-alcohol drugs,

SO Booze accounts for at least 72% of all driving fatalities. (the 28% may also have tested pos for ethanol)

Why is booze legal again?

[jmacusa]

When I used to smoke weed I did 65-70 mph on the highway, no problem , 35-40 or the posted limit on secondary roads, seriously. When I drank AND smoked, well, that’s when Sheriff John Brown would catch up to me.( never injured or killed anyone, thank God) Thank the Good Lord that was twenty years ago. Don’t do either anymore. But pot causing accidents? Dang. Ya learn somethin’ new everyday.(this last part is sarcasm).

[Chode]

i'd like to know what percent of that 28% had alcohol in their system as well...

[Ken H]

Do you think AZ should be able to carry out such a policy under the 10th Amendment? Or, do you think the Commerce Clause delegates that authority to the feds?

[Baynative]

Cop: Do you know why I pulled you over?

Stoned driver: Uhh...no

Cop: Do you know how fast you were going?

SD: Uhhh ...35?

Cop: Wanna try again?

SD: 45?

Cop: One more try ...

SD: Uhhhh .... 50?

Cop: SEVEN!

SD: Wow. --- Hey, do you know where I was going?

[decimon]

i'd like to know what percent of that 28% had alcohol in their system as well...

Yeah, the absolute numbers are probably not that true. But I wouldn't discount the study for that.

[cripplecreek]

LOL

Do you know how fast you were going?

East?

[Ken H]

A drunk driver will crash right through a stop sign. A stoned driver waits for it to turn green.

(I stole that fair & square)

[My hearts in London - Everett]

This can’t be true. All the potheads I’ve talked to vehemently deny it.

[Chode]

dint say i discount anything... i simply would like the unbiased data

if alcohol was involved too, i'd like to know their BAC as well

[decimon]

dint say i discount anything... i simply would like the unbiased data

if alcohol was involved too, i'd like to know their BAC as well

Well, I don't think you can have unbiased data without a controlled study and I don't think you can have a controlled study. I figure if the cops have you on a drug charge then they might not bother with a drunk test.

[Chode]

that 28% were all fatalities and i guarantee they all had a tox report that tells if there was booze in their system as well as their BAC

when i say unbiased in this case, i mean that i think they intentionally left out whether alcohol was involved in that 28%

[Getready]

How many people do you think work for you who don’t care
about whether they have their wits about them?
Could that be one of the many reasons for our national
lassitude? Or any other countries lassitude?

[cripplecreek]

I know there were lots of pot smokers in the shop who were high most of the time. As long as they weren’t in my department I didn’t care because I didn’t have to deal with them.

[Ramius]

Well... Nobody’s going to defend some sort of right to drive stoned, including me. But seriously... “double” the risk still isn’t that much risk. So a stoned person driving four miles has the same risk as a sober person driving eight miles. Big deal. The risk for drunks is how much higher? Far higher.

I would wager that the -vast- majority of herbal usage occurs at home, and the participants generally stay there. The last thing a stoner wants to do is actually -go out- somewhere.

There’s lots of problems out there on the road that sort way higher on the priority list, IMHO.

[Fast Ed97]

There’s lots of problems out there on the road that sort way higher on the priority list, IMHO.

Agree! Unnecessary road construction projects..plus you should see the amount of people commuting to/from Chicago on the Kennedy Expressway texting/facebooking.

[7MMmag]

Let's drive 5 miles per hour so we don't look conspicuous, hehheh,hehehheh...

[SunTzuWu]

Marijuana use may double the risk of accidents for drivers...

Then again it may not.

[FreedomPoster]

A buddy of mine many years ago used to always keep a bag of Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies around. Many bags were devoured over time.