Will cannabis legalization increase the number of drivers with reduced mobility? New study has answer
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Does Legalizing Cannabis Increase Driving Impairment? According to the recently released paper from the Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Regulation (CPEAR), this is not the case.
One of the key findings of the policy report states that the impact of legalization on DUIC “is either insignificant or diminishing a year after the launch of the legal market,” although the organization emphasized that “more research and better data collection” are needed.
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The paper, titled “Contextualizing the Problem: Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis and Other Drugs in America,” also emphasized that cannabis use along with the use of other drugs can lead to impaired judgment and decision-making.
In addition, the report attributed an increase in DUIC offenses to less knowledge of the effects of cannabis on the ability to drive safely.
“As CPEAR has always stated, it is never safe to drive while intoxicated with cannabis,” said Shanita Penny, CPEAR’s Center of Excellence Director. “US federal law should create a clear expectation that you will get a DUI if you drive too much while embracing the programs, technologies and best practices to combat drunk driving. We look forward to working with lawmakers on this critical matter as we continue to advocate for a federal framework for cannabis.”
Current research on marijuana & driving
Interestingly, a recent study found that over 40% of US drivers use both alcohol and marijuana.
Additionally, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Preventative Medicine Reports, frequent cannabis users in states where recreational marijuana is legal showed a significantly lower risk of self-reported DUIC within three hours of use than those living in states where where cannabis is not legal is legal.
Some drivers believe that driving while high does not affect their ability to drive a car, although law enforcement officials have warned that the number of fatal car accidents involving cannabis has more than doubled in recent years.
In any case, the overall number of studies demonstrating that legalizing cannabis has a positive effect is increasing.
Legalizing Cannabis Reduces Driving With Disabilities
Earlier this year, researchers from the state universities of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Iowa found that legalizing recreational cannabis in the US reduced the number of heavy-duty truck accidents by 11% in the eight states studied.
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Some states went a step further, most notably Pennsylvania. A new bill aimed at protecting keystone state medical marijuana patients from drink driving charges passed the Senate Transportation Committee by a vote of 13 to 0.
Under the bill, medical cannabis would be treated like any other prescription narcotic, with proof of impaired driving ability required for a person to be charged with DUI.
This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.
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