Results of a recent highway safety study involving cannabis revealed that the majority of those who use cannabis elect to drive that same day, even when use was as recent as 60 minutes (or less) prior to the act of driving. Cannabis use in America has outpaced alcohol consumption in recent years, it impacts to highway safety is of great concern. As the authors Hill, L. (et.al.) noted, “… driving under the influence of cannabis is also associated with an increased risk of crashes, injuries, and fatalities.”
Researchers noted that this multi-phase project involved 2,000 “current” cannabis consumers, (THC in any form) from eight states, with legal cannabis (medical or commercial adult use). They responded to questionnaires on their cannabis use and driving behavior. Some of the findings were:
- 84% of cannabis consumers drive the same day after usage.
- Nearly 20% of respondents believed their driving was worse after use.
- 46% believed that police could not detect impairment from cannabis.
- 53% consumed cannabis within an hour of prior to driving, 20% consumed 2 -3 hours prior.
The final phase involved 800 current cannabis consumers, from the same states, and their opinion on effective messaging to deter cannabis use ahead of driving (increasing wait time from use to driving). 62% of those respondents liked the message of, “If you feel different, you drive different – Drive High. Get a DUI”
The Foundation for Traffic Safety (FTS) is a division of the American Automobile Association (AAA) dedicated to improving public highway safety through continued education and messaging efforts.
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Photo: unsplash.com/ Pierce, G.
