Study: Pot use doesn’t increase car crashes
By David Shepardson, Detroit News
A government study released late Friday found no evidence that marijuana use leads to a higher risk of getting into a traffic crash.
But safety advocates believe it is still dangerous to drive after smoking significant amounts of marijuana, and the government plans more testing.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said a 20-month survey of drivers in 2013 and 2014 found that while drinking dramatically raises the chance of a crash, there was no evidence that marijuana use is statistically significant in boosting wreck rates.
The agency said the issue is of growing importance in the wake of marijuana being legalized in Colorado, Oregon, Alaska and Washington state for recreational use.
The report’s findings were based on two surveys. The National Roadside Survey, which collected information from volunteer drivers at 300 research checkpoints across the U.S., and a second study — the largest of its kind ever conducted — that assessed whether marijuana use by drivers is associated with greater risk of crashes. That study, in Virginia, gathered data over 20 months from more than 3,000 drivers who were in crashes, as well as a comparison group of 6,000 drivers who did not crash.
Sure, no one’s running from DEA any anymore.
PEOPLE WHO TOKE AND DRIVE ARE THE SAFEST DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. This study and countless other studies have all reached the same conclusion: Cannabis users are the safest drivers of all. In fact, people who toke and drive are actually safer than normal drivers, who are stressed and in a rush. In contrast, cannabis people are never in a rush, rarely stressed and usually drive very conservatively. Of course none of these facts and none of these studies will stop the reefer maniacs from telling their horror stories to scare people into believing pot drivers are some sort of menace to society. Just don’t be fooled by their lies about cannabis and driving, because we now know that the myth of stoned drivers endangering the rest of us has no basis in science or reality.
First you must find your car.
Mr. Kubby you are saying driving while high on pot makes you a safer driver. Back in the day I spent some time behind the wheel after a few tokes but I can’t say it made me any safer. Driving under the influence of ANYTHING is dangerous
No longer a smoker myself, just did’nt care for it anymore so I have have not smoked in many,many a year. Oh yeah, and like Bill Clinton I did’nt inhale.
I don’t smoke and I don’t mind that you do, it just aint for me. But making you a safer driver is a bit of a stretch. OLS
I saw in a recent study- Chronic users of pot aren’t impaired while driving BUT occasional users are highly effected by pot while driving. Sorry Steve Kubby- we all know this is true. Not everyone can use pot and safely drive. Impairment is the question, whether it is alcohol (the WORST), prescription drugs or pot. If you want to be high- DON’T DRIVE. Regular users- no worries.
I’ve got nothing against pot smoking, but the assertion that driving stoned makes you safer is just absurd. On so many levels.
you’d have to be stoned to say such a thing!
That is such BS when law enforcement does the initial investigation in most marijuana related crashes the obvious alcohol factor is found at the scene, breath test etc. this is the primary factor reported to statistics “Switters” the facts of other intoxicants are not know for some time and are used for prosecution. The government skews studies as does the media, be smart! As we all know every year the studies tell us something that is bad for us today is the wonder food next year…. Listen to Richard Dawson ….. Survey says…. Haha ha
This study has zero credibility when an accurate on scene test for DUI THC intoxication has yet to be deployed. There was a man sentenced about a year ago in Pollock for killing a woman while he was driving stoned and there are many other of these DUI cases. Cannabis causes many things, the worst being brain psychosis, the other things are things like delayed reactions. Most of the studies are from the UK where the results were published and are widely known. This is no harmless drug or natural medicine, the ingredients alone would scare most far away from this drug.
Driving under the influence of ANYTHING is dangerous OLS
There you have it.
First, decry the study as not credible. Second, cite unsupported anecdotes to prove your allegation. Finally, make absurd claims that are “widely known”. Awesome, it makes your opinion appear to be so… meaningful. Might I remind dear readers that it was only a few hundred years ago that it was widely known that the earth was flat.
Most reasonable people would conclude that if you alter your consciousness, there may be adverse effects. However, the data from at least one study, with over 9,000 subjects surveyed, shows that this is not necessarily true with marijuana.
It is absurd to add your two cents to a study without citing data. All the best.
Hey Kubby, the snoshsberrys taste like snoshsberrys!
i dont have data, however i have friends and family members who smoke, they are good drivers while sober, but put some pot in them there is a diffinate difference in their alertnace and i will not get in the car with them. i will also tell them not to drive but they are like kubby and say they are great drivers stoned, RIGHT not getting in with you
“Herb, herb is a plant. I mean herbs are good for everything. Why, why these people who want to do so much good for everyone, who call themselves governments and this and that. Why them say you must not use the herb?” Marley said.
“Them just say, ‘no, you mustn’t use it, you mustn’t use it because it will make you rebel.’ Against what?” he added.
Happy belated 70th birthday Bob Marley!
RIP.
“This study has zero credibility ”
No one is taking your word for it justass, and you provide no supporting evidence for your position. As usual.
So, if Pot Smokers are the safest drivers on the roads, we can all feel safe when Truckers, Bus Drivers, Train Operators and Plane Pilots light up.