Fatal car accidents involving cannabis and alcohol have doubled in the past 20 years

Driving under the influence of alcohol has long been a problem. Drunk driving alone is responsible for an average of 10,000 deaths each year. With the legalization of cannabis, these problems are made worse; Driving under the influence of alcohol – regardless of the substance – is more likely to lead to accidents and death.

A new study found that fatal accidents involving alcohol and cannabis have more than doubled in the past two decades. Worse, it suggests that accidents involving cannabis are typically more fatal than accidents involving alcohol.

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The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, found that while public safety announcements have reduced the harm from drunk driving, other drugs may increase these risks and accidents.

The study was conducted by researchers analyzing 19 years of data on fatal car crashes and accidents. “Progress has been made in reducing deaths from alcohol-related driving, but our study suggests that cannabis involvement could undermine these public health efforts,” said Timothy Naimi, lead author of the study, on the website of the study Boston University.

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A closer look at the data collected shows that the percentage of accidental deaths related to cannabis increased from 9% to 21.5% between 2000 and 2018. Researchers found that accidents involving cannabis were more likely to result in passenger deaths.

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Cannabis and driving a car is a very complicated topic because the authorities don’t have a lot of data on the effects of cannabis on drivers. Add to this the fact that there is no precise way of measuring the level of impairment caused by THC.

“The bottom line is that we still have a lot to do to reduce the number of deaths and damage from driving disorders caused by alcohol, cannabis and other substances,” said Marlene Lira, one of the study’s lead authors. As cannabis becomes legal in more and more states, these issues only become more pressing.