Researchers who studied drivers who went to emergency departments found that marijuana use was not associated with increased odds of accidents. Self-reported high levels of acute cannabis use were actually associated with lower crash odds.
The use of alcohol, whether alone or in combination with marijuana, was also associated with a higher risk of collision.
Researchers collected data from emergency rooms in Denver, Colorado, Portland, Oregon, and Sacramento, California to arrive at their results. Researchers measured THC levels in drivers’ blood, measured alcohol levels using a breathalyzer and/or clinical care, and interviewed drivers.
The new study shows that even though most marijuana legalization supporters agree that cannabis can make it difficult for a driver to drive safely, its use alone does not increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents (MVCs).
The authors concluded that “Acute alcohol consumption alone and the combined use of alcohol with cannabis was independently associated with increased odds of MVC.”
Researchers found that drivers who smoked more marijuana had a lower crash risk.
They wrote: “When stratifying by self-reported or measurable cannabis use, higher levels of cannabis consumption were not associated higher odds of MVC, whether or not alcohol was also consumed.” “In actuality, high self reported acute cannabis use was associated lower odds of MVC.”
The nine-member research team, based on the findings, concluded that THC levels were not a reliable indicator of driving risks. They suggested that an actual impairment test would be a more accurate measure.
Alcohol use, alone or combined with cannabis, was consistently associated [sic] with higher odds of MVC. The study found that the link between cannabis levels and MVC is not clear. The strongest reason for focusing on driving behavior and clinical signs of impairment to determine driving while intoxicated is the emphasis placed on these factors.
The study states that, in terms of DUI limits per se on THC, “using strict cut-offs to gauge the impact of cannabis on driving remains complicated from a legal and scientific perspective as the implications of measured levels are complex due to usual use, measurement methods and time, and regular cannabis usage patterns.”
The authors noted that the study was limited to drivers who agreed. Participants “may be less concerned with drug use behavior, especially those related to MVC events where they are worried about being at fault.”
They said that self-reported cannabis use could also be biased in favor of “a weaker correlation” between car accidents and cannabis.
The study was published in April 2024 by Accident Analysis and Prevention. Its authors included representatives from a variety of institutions including the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), the University of Colorado School of Medicine (UC Davis), the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Portland State University and more.
Many have been concerned that legalizing marijuana could increase the number of drivers who use it, and therefore, pose a greater risk to public health. Research shows that the link between cannabis and impaired driving may not be as straightforward as you might think.
According to a study conducted in 2019, those who drove at the legal THC level–which is usually between two and five nanograms per milliliter (ml) of blood-, were no more likely than others to have an accident.
The difficulty in accurately testing drivers adds to the complexity. A congressional report last summer for a Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies bill stated that the House Appropriations Committee, ” , continues to support development of an objective test to measure marijuana impairment and related field sobriety tests to ensure highway safety.”
The Department of Transportation was required to complete the report a data-google-interstitial=”false” href=”https://www.marijuanamoment.net/biden_signs_infrastructure_bill_promoting_marijuana_research-by_encouraging_access_to_dispensary_products/” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>under a large infrastructure bill/a>that President Joe Biden signed/a>that/a>that/a>that/a>that/a>that/a> that was signed by Joe Biden/a>,/a> that a>that/a The Department of Transportation was required to finish the report as part of a large infrastructure bill signed by President Joe Biden, but they missed a deadline. It wasn’t clear how long the project would take.
Scientists announced earlier this month that they have found a new way to test recent marijuana use which is significantly more accurate than the standard THC blood tests. They are now actively working to expand on their research.
Researchers in a previous study also assessed driving abilities during a simulation. They found that cannabis users who use it daily had a THC level in their blood that was five times higher than those who only smoke occasionally. However, this latter group showed signs of a decline in driving ability, while the former did not.
The Congressional Research Service determined that in 2019, “studies of the impact of cannabis consumption on a drivers risk of being in a car accident have produced contradictory results, with some finding little or no increase in risk.”
A study conducted in 2022 concluded that CBD-rich marijuana did not have a “significant impact” on the ability to drive despite the fact all participants had THC levels above the limit per se.
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