Driving while high: Marijuana users twice as likely to crash, AAA study finds

[Tudo]

Nearly 15 million people report driving while high on pot, making them twice as likely to be involved in a crash, a new AAA study has found.
The study also showed more drivers view texting or talking on cellphones while driving to be more risky behavior than smoking weed and getting behind the wheel, according to the 2018 safety survey
Marijuana is legal for medical use in Florida. It’s illegal to operate a motor vehicle while drunk or stoned, even with a medial marijuana card.

The annual study, sponsored by the Tampa-based AAA Foundation, also found that nearly 70 percent of Americans feel it’s unlikely people driving high will be caught by police. Impairing effects of pot are usually experienced within four hours of using the drug. The study surveyed 3,349 respondents ages 16 and older in 2018.

Alcohol-impaired driving was viewed to be more risky (92 percent) than driving within an hour of smoking weed (72.9 percent). Drowsy driving and prescription drug-impaired driving also were seen as more problematic than pot.

The state’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use shows there were 224,815 active registered medical-marijuana users in Florida in June. Medical marijuana treatment centers dispense cannabis products to patients as recommended by physicians.

Other findings:


Nearly 14 percent of millennial drivers aged 23 to 38 were most likely to report driving within an hour after using marijuana in the past 30 days

• 10 percent of Generation Z (those born between 1995 and 2015) were most likely to report driving within an hour after using marijuana in the past 30 days
• 8 percent of men and 5 percent of women reported driving after using marijuana in the past 30 days

“It’s deeply concerning that many Americans don’t consider marijuana-impaired driving as risky as other behaviors like driving drunk or texting while driving," said Mark Jenkins, a AAA spokesman. "Marijuana can significantly alter reaction times and impair a driver’s judgement. It is important for everyone to understand that driving ‘high’ puts you, your passengers, and other motorists in danger.”

In 2017, there were 37,133 motor vehicle fatalities on U.S. roadways, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a 1.8 percent decrease from 2016.

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/featur...0190619-wdmcx2ollbeslcs44uzhpnzoqy-story.html

 

[shaggyballs]

WTF AAA?

AAA Safety Foundation Finds No Scientific Basis That THC In Blood Impairs Driving
No scientific basis exists to legitimize current THC testing in place in five states who base their impaired driving standards on THC levels in blood. According to a study from auto club giant AAA’s safety foundation, a blood test threshold for THC - the chemical component of cannabis that makes people ‘high’ - is simply not scientifically possible.

Yet, in five of six states where cannabis is legal, the tests are used to determine whether or not drivers should be considered impaired. Those tests employ a blood level-based judgment similar to that used for determining alcohol impairment. But AAA found such tests for THC are wholly unreliable - sending potentially unimpaired drivers to jail and putting impaired drivers back behind the wheel.

“There is understandably a strong desire by both lawmakers and the public to create legal limits for marijuana impairment in the same manner we do alcohol,” said AAA president and CEO, Marshall Doney, as reported by the Associated Press. “In the case of marijuana this approach is flawed and not supported by scientific research.”

After discovering the tests had no value, the safety foundation recommended Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington simply ditch their THC impairment testing laws - and that other states considering similar laws abandon the proposed legislation.

As the study notes, determining actual impairment from THC consumption is quite different than for alcohol. Tolerance for the chemical would mean though a regular cannabis user might have high blood levels of THC, they are perfectly safe behind the wheel - while a relatively low THC blood level could be found in someone unfit to drive.

Instead of what amounts to arbitrary blood testing, AAA recommends specialized law enforcement officers who would better observe behavior as a determination of impairment, which would then be backed up by THC blood testing.

As the AP noted, nine states - even some with legalized medicinal cannabis - currently have zero-tolerance policies in place for THC-impaired driving. Those states’ laws include not only blood testing for THC, but also for its metabolites which can persist in blood long after the last use of cannabis.

Obviously, explained New York University professor and specialist in drug issues and criminal policy, Mark A. R. Kleiman, such laws make no sense.

“A law against driving with THC in your bloodstream is not a law you can know you are obeying except by never smoking marijuana or never driving,” he explained. Kleiman, however, disagrees with AAA’s recommendation to adjust current laws, and instead feels such offenses should by traffic violations.

According to Kleiman, compared to other potentially dangerous impairments, cannabis is likely the least offensive on the list. While some studies showed roughly double the risk of accidents caused by cannabis impairment, nationally-legal hands-free cellphone usage quadruples the crash risk - and blood alcohol content of .12 increases accident risk 15-fold.

A “noisy child in the back of the car” presents the same increased dangers as driving under the influence of cannabis, Kleiman said - noting an exception would be use of both cannabis and alcohol together, which would greatly increase impairment.

Clearly, ineffectual and illegitimate laws that senselessly send people to jail need to be abandoned with a quickness - and the AAA safety foundation’s findings on THC blood impairment testing would be a fantastic place to start.

 

[TychoMonolyth]

I forget to stop so i don't drive high.

 

[Emperortaima]

Propaganda to feed the beast who keeps us all free to enjoy our fav plant with all bullshit criminal ties to cannabis.... like with anything common sense comes to play as those who cant handle the cannabis perhaps should stay away from machines.. but for those who have been using for long enough to not be in said circumstance should not be affected realistically but there always has to be some corporate piece of shit waste of human life that goes through all the shit to just compile false conclusions to help whatever politician keep the prison populations high because they need some excuse to lock up innocent people for monitary gain its a real shame.... fuck corporate scum and filthy political prostitutes

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

The annual study, sponsored by the Tampa-based AAA Foundation

I truly feel for the ignorant. Someone's grand kids are going to come across this and say Grandma/Grandpa "You wrote that???!!"

Anyone have the actual facts they gleaned this ridiculous story from?

 

[shaggyballs]

No comments on the complete change in views by AAA on the subject.
Maybe you all have me on ignore...LOL

 

[Guest]

I sometimes wait too long for the stop sign to turn green

 

[Burro Johnson]

Another reason for fully autonomous driving cars and a new infrastructure that allows for zero on road collisions

 

[Guest]

I simply don’t drive after smoking. Used to be able to but just don’t anymore. I’m always at home when I do and between Uber and Grubhub no need.

 

[Oliver Pantsoff]

I've been smoking n riding for over 25+ years. Never been in a wreck. Just dont drive n receive a bj at the same time, and you're gold

OP

 

[Emperortaima]

Some people now days are just naturally STUPID no joke and cannabis cant help that.. or you have them scandalous fucks who will do what they can for insurance money... many variables not cannabis related but serious problems with those individuals who imo shouldnt be driving period.. for the sake of others lives

 

[RB56]

Are people in this thread actually arguing that driving while high is OK? Sounds like it, but hard to believe that could be the case.

 

[White Beard]

I posted on this topic in Shaggy’s previous AAA thread, pardon me if I don’t repeat...

 

[chuckyoufarley]

been driving high my entire driving time started smoking weed when i was 14 didnt get a DL until i was 27 and im 60 and never had an accident so i call bullshit

 

[kalopatchkid]

What a bogus headline for a terrible excuse for journalism.



The study (which was actually just a survey) only found a high number of people that reported driving after smoking marijuana. It did not study if using marijuana doubles the risk of an accident...in fact, shaggy posted an article in 2016 where AAA found no scientific basis that any quantity of thc in the bloodstream impairs driving.



Furthermore, with legalization there are more cannabis users than ever before and the last sentence in the article states that in 2017 the NHTSA reported an almost 2% decrease in traffic fatalities from 2016.

 

[mowood3479]

What a bogus headline for a terrible excuse for journalism.



The study (which was actually just a survey) only found a high number of people that reported driving after smoking marijuana. It did not study if using marijuana doubles the risk of an accident...in fact, shaggy posted an article in 2016 where AAA found no scientific basis that any quantity of thc in the bloodstream impairs driving.



Furthermore, with legalization there are more cannabis users than ever before and the last sentence in the article states that in 2017 the NHTSA reported an almost 2% decrease in traffic fatalities from 2016.

Thank u. Perfect post,

 

[Emperortaima]

Are people in this thread actually arguing that driving while high is OK? Sounds like it, but hard to believe that could be the case.

Those of us who go based on sound science yes and due to some peoples exp here who reported their experiences yes.... whats your argument against driving while stoned or high off cannabis? Would love to read your OPINION

 

[PDX Dopesmoker]

Are people in this thread actually arguing that driving while high is OK? Sounds like it, but hard to believe that could be the case.

Driving stoned is just fine, the study says that driving under the influence of iPhones is much worse and thats widely tolerated. I'd add that driving under the influence of LSD is also worse that weed and probably should be avoided. When they get all the acid and smartphone drivers off the roads then they can start worrying about the potheads, until then you've got worse hazards to worry about.

 

[aridbud]

I simply don’t drive after smoking. Used to be able to but just don’t anymore. I’m always at home when I do and between Uber and Grubhub no need.

Same here....at home or hanging out for hours if at friend's if I'm imbibing. Won't drive high/stoned....for me, too risky. There's a bit of truth in AAA article.

 

[Emperortaima]

Driving stoned is just fine, the study says that driving under the influence of iPhones is much worse and thats widely tolerated. I'd add that driving under the influence of LSD is also worse that weed and probably should be avoided. When they get all the acid and smartphone drivers off the roads then they can start worrying about the potheads, until then you've got worse hazards to worry about.

Could not have said it better my friend!