Study: Fatal Car Crashes Involving Marijuana Have Tripled

[Jesus Malverde]

According to a recent study, fatal car crashes involving pot use have tripled in the U.S.

“Currently, one of nine drivers involved in fatal crashes would test positive for marijuana,” Dr. Guohua Li, director of the Center for Injury Epidemiology and Prevention at Columbia, and co-author of the study told HealthDay News.

Researchers from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health gathered data from six states – California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and West Virginia – that perform toxicology tests on drivers involved in fatal car accidents. This data included over 23,500 drivers that died within one hour of a crash between 1999 and 2010.

Li reported in the study that alcohol contributed to about 40 percent of traffic fatalities throughout the decade.zzzz|The researchers found that drugs played an increasing role in fatal traffic accidents. Drugged driving accounted for more than 28 percent of traffic deaths in 2010, which is 16 percent more than it was in 1999.

The researchers also found that marijuana was the main drug involved in the increase. It contributed to 12 percent of fatal crashes, compared to only 4 percent in 1999.

“If a driver is under the influence of alcohol, their risk of a fatal crash is 13 times higher than the risk of the driver who is not under the influence of alcohol,” Li said. “But if the driver is under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana, their risk increased to 24 times that of a sober person.”

Researchers found that the increase in marijuana use occurred across all ages for males and females.

http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2014/02/04/study-fatal-car-crashes-involving-marijuana-have-tripled/

[Timez Squarez]

1. I call bullshit to this article.

Please provide further sources and link to prove that pot is much more dangerous than alcohol.

[frazzled]

2. It didn't say that at all

Try rereading, maybe after a cup of strong black coffee.

[Bandit]

3. Since pot will test positive after six months it doesn't surprise me

It would shock the shit out of me if they could prove that driving under the influence of pot causes more accidents. I would not believe that for a second.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Taht is a job for the mythbusters

people used to claim texting was safe too.

Or talking on the cell phone for that matter.

Under the influence driving is just not safe, I don't care what the substance is. Oh and that includes a full family of prescription drugs.

[DesertFlower]

13. i agree. nt

[dionysus]

37. that myth has been busted...

[liberal_at_heart]

45. exactly. They are simply testing for it more now.

[Warpy]

4. And how many of them tested positive for alcohol

and other substances, but primarily alcohol? And how many were overtired and how many were fighting on a cell phone or worse, texting?

This article is bogus. Of course when pot is legal, more people will test positive, especially since traces persist in fatty tissue for so long. It's an incredible leap of faulty logic to ASSume that pot was the cause of any of these crashes.

When they find a fatal crash caused by someone who was well rested with no cell phone in the car and no other psychoactive drugs in his system, then they can write this article.

Until then, spare us.

[Eleanors38]

60. THANKS! for pumping the bilge of this study from the ship of state.

This approach to "research" had been used tiresomely before. Exp: Finding huge heroin death rates, but overlooking the alcohol consumption often accompanying opiate use, a major factor in death by edema.

Further, most drugs (including alcohol) are out of ones system within a day or two. Not pot.

Don't know what it is about Columbia & its pot "studies." Maybe it's because they housed the infamous NIDA mill.

[nyquil_man]

5. So... If you're going to drink, don't drive.

If you're going to drink and toke, don't drive.

[DesertFlower]

14. exactly. nt

[TeeYiYi]

23. Agreed...a brazillion. ..nt

TYY

[liberal_at_heart]

46. In the Sanja Gupta special they tested both people who smoke on a regular basis and

those who smoke rarely. People who smoke on a regular basis such as medical marijuana patients weren't impaired while those who only smoke occasionally were. So, yeah I would say if you only smoke occasionally and know that smoking impairs you then don't smoke and drive. For patients or recreational users who use on a regular basis it's not a problem.

[nyquil_man]

47. I'm talking exclusively about drinking AND smoking,

as that's what the article addresses.

[liberal_at_heart]

48. I agree.

[Eleanors38]

61. Hmm. Being hammer-blasted on pot might be safer.

[longship]

6. Waiting for the peer review on this one.

Or, rather waiting to see what the research paper actually says.

(Crickets!)

[Mr.Bill]

7. I'd like to see a study

on how much prescription drugs contribute to accidents.

[hootinholler]

8. Um, corelation is not evidence of causation

I call bullshit.

[tabasco]

9. I see the liquor and prison industries have been busy!

Cooking up some new bullshit!

[frylock]

11. Study: Fatal Car Crashes Involving Sugar Have Tripled

accidents involving alcohol and sugar have increased over 9,000,000,000% over the last 10 years. just another bullshit "study."

[ladywnch]

12. okay.....we now know your agenda.......

do make any posts other than anti pot posts?


How much are you being paid to make these posts anyhow? Are you considered a full time employee or only a 1099er? Do they send you the talking points or are you allowed to just make it up as you go along?

Inquiring minds want to know

[Coyotl]

15. Better check to see how many are meat eaters too. There must be a correlation.

Correlation is not causation!

[TeeYiYi]

16. I wonder if there's any truth to this...

I can drive just fine on alcohol (though I don't recommend it), but I absolutely HATE to drive when I've been smoking pot. It turns me into an imbecile behind the wheel; driving way too slow with serious depth perception issues...

I wonder how ridiculously slow and cautious driving results in fatal car accidents. Maybe the annoyance factor of other drivers who have to go around is playing a part...? Or, people are just plain falling asleep at the wheel after imbibing.

TYY

[abelenkpe]

17. Please don't drive if

you've been drinking or smoking.

[B2G]

18. This

Impaired driving is impaired driving.

Period.

[TeeYiYi]

19. I don't...

...but, that's not to say that I never have. The point of my post was to discuss the difference between driving high vs. driving drunk. Since I've done both, I was wondering out loud...

Do you have any first hand knowledge to contribute to my query?...

TYY

[DebJ]

39. I do. A stoned girlfriend kept driving down the wrong side of the road.

I didn't know she was stoned. She had NOT been drinking or using anything else.

I repeatedly corrected her, and each time, she laughed like it was hysterically funny.
Hysterical, I was...funny, no.

[TeeYiYi]

40. Thanks for that, DebJ...

I've never given this subject much thought, but I wonder if there are others who know they'd rather not drive while high... For me, driving while high is not an option. Alcohol, I can handle. Pot; not so much.

TYY

[abelenkpe]

57. Only by being unfortunate enough to be in a car hit by a drunk driver

And losing my best friend at age fifteen.

[Egalitarian Thug]

20. None whatsoever. This is just the early stages of what I'm certain will be a

four-wall campaign of disinformation on this issue now that it's totally legal in two states with more to follow.

[Jesus Malverde]

21. Step one was to codify what constitutes impaired driving in Washington.

Penalties for DUI are much worse that simple possession. It's bait and switch.

[TeeYiYi]

22. I agree with you...

In my experience, pot makes most people drive extra slow and more cautious than usual. Since pot can be detected in your system for up to a month or more, regardless of actual intoxication, I don't like where this is headed.

I think 'they' had better invent a more accurate drug test for marijuana.

TYY

[dixiegrrrrl]

32. Here is where it is headed:

To curb a rising tide of drugged driving, law enforcement officers are beginning to use drug swabs at DUI checkpoints to test for marijuana, cocaine, and other illicit substances.

In Los Angeles, City Attorney Mike Feuer is pushing this new drug detection technique as a way of "enforcing all impaired driving laws," reports the Los Angeles Times. LAPD officers will be using drug swabs at DUI checkpoints on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

http://blogs.findlaw.com/blotter/2013/12/at-dui-checkpoints-are-drug-swabs-legal.html

[TeeYiYi]

38. Wow...

...shit just got real in the impaired driving arena.

Almost everyone I know takes some kind of maintenance drug that would not pass muster in the case of a DUI checkpoint swab. I wonder if the pharmaceutical companies will get behind this new protocol; because seriously, this will make criminals out of the majority of the populace.

TYY

[RobinA]

41. I Had The Same Thought

Driving on alcohol makes you a fearless idiot. Driving on pot makes you a fearful obstacle. No way in hell pot causes more accidents. Maybe a fender bender when you get rear ended for stopping waaay short of that stop sign, but you'll never wrap yourself around a telephone pole.

[TeeYiYi]

42. Exactly. ..nt

TYY

[1000words]

24. It's over, drug warriors. Cannabis won.

(I don't mean you, Jesus.)

[Jesus Malverde]

26. I know!

One day we'll live free and no longer in fear. Fear of losing jobs, fear of being raided, your dogs shot, your children kidnapped by the state. Your land stolen, and maybe even your life lost. Fear no more, the times are a changing.

[1000words]

27. Amen

[sendero]

25. "test positive"..

... has nothing to do with being high, could have smoked yesterday, or 4 days ago.

this article is bullshit propaganda for the feeble minded and perpetually scared.

[SomethingFishy]

28. Yeah so 10% of all drivers involved in fatal car accidents smoked pot sometime in the

28 days before the accident.

Alcohol is responsible for 40% of all fatal accidents. Yet pot is illegal and alcohol isn't.. What was your point again?

[Jesus Malverde]

31. duh...

Science proves marijuana makes alcohol even more dangerous.

Remember we're not talking about grandpa's lid of harmless pot. Today’s modern, genetically modified marijuana (has) much higher THC levels, far surpass(ing) the panama red, acapulco gold, thai stick, himalayan hash and maui wowi of old.

It also destroys the brain and expedites psychosis.

If you smoke marijuana, one day you will die.

[SomethingFishy]

33. ROFLMFAO.. Yeah and if you are born, one day you will die.

And quoting Patrick Kennedy? Nice try.

The level of ignorance you display on the subject is impressive.

But take away all the research, all the pro and con arguments for smoking weed. Here's the big questions:

How does my smoking weed harm you? Why does it bother you? Who gave you the right to tell me I can't smoke a weed?

Weed has been legal in Colorado for a month now. Has it affected your sad little world even in the slightest?

BTW. Give it up. You lost. The war on drugs was and is an epic failure and people are starting to wise up. Within 5 years most of the states will have at least legal medical weed and within 10 it will be legal on a federal level.

Go find some other crusade, you already lost this one.

[TeeYiYi]

43. "If you DON'T smoke marijuana, one day you will die."...

re: If you smoke marijuana, one day you will die.

TYY

[jmowreader]

49. THC isn't like alcohol

You can't get higher by smoking more weed. Hence, really potent weed would be better because you wouldn't need as much of it.

[Jesus Malverde]

50. I don't really buy the argument that todays dank is any different than yesterdays

They've always had great bud hence my references to panama red, acapulco gold, thai stick, himalayan hash and maui wowi.

What has changed is there is a lot more American cannabis replacing sub par Mexican brick.

My last post pushed too many buttons for people to realize it was satire.

If you smoke marijuana, one day you will die.

[Eleanors38]

64. But pot-smoking leads to cunulingus!

[AgingAmerican]

54. It's a communist plot

The Russians want to make a nation of pot zombies so they can just march right in unopposed. Also, men who smoke marijuana grow womens breasts.

That's what my grandmother used to tell me when I was growing up.

[Vattel]

29. In 99.8% of fatal accidents, the driver was found to be wearing clothes.

SO DRIVE NAKED PEOPLE!!!!!

[madville]

30. It's common sense to not drive

After ingesting any intoxicating substance, period. Or drive a boat, fly a plane, put something in the oven to cook (ever let a Totinos frozen pizza cook for 5 hours at 400 degrees? I have) etc, etc.

The numbers and statistics are of course debatable. I did recently read an article where the technology is being developed to detect marijuana use within the last few hours, not days or weeks, that will produce more accurate data.

I believe cannabis should be 100% legal to buy and grow and use, I also think it should be illegal to drive while under the influence of it. Way too dangerous for everyone on the road. With legalization becoming a reality there is more incentive now for a reliable test to be developed that can prove very recent use and/or intoxication like we currently have with breathalyzers.

[RainDog]

34. People shouldn't drink or toke or otherwise drug and drive

But, as the article states, we need better tests to determine how much of the increase in detection of marijuana correlates to under the influence.

As they note, they're five years away from being able to actually determine whether someone is intoxicated from marijuana while driving.

Nevertheless, people should ALWAYS err on the side of caution in relation to the use of alcohol or any other substance when operating a vehicle.

[DefenseLawyer]

35. It obviously doesn't say 1 out of 9 had active THC in their blood

Since that isn't even tested. 1 out of 9 has traces cannabinoids, which could mean they just smoked a joint, or it could just as easily mean they smoked a joint a month ago.

[dionysus]

36. except you can test positive weeks after you last smoked...

[reddread]

44. propaganda has quadrupled

the horror.

[fishwax]

51. it looks like the percentage has tripled -- I wonder what the raw numbers are

[doc03]

52. If one has a fatal accident and has bottled water

in the car couldn't they say that contributed to the accident?

[nadinbrzezinski]

59. Depends on the circumstances to the water.

But let's say it rolled under the break and you could not break, yup, contributing factor

If you were drinking and not watching the road, contributing factor.

Next question.

[Rex]

53. Stoody: Recent Talk Of Legalizing Pot Causes Negative Stories About Pot To Increase By

Ten Thousand Percent.

[SamKnause]

55. Absolute Bullshit

If a person uses cannabis on a Friday night and is involved in an accident on the following Thursday they will test positive for cannabis.

Would cannabis have any factor in the accident after 6 days ?

Certainly NOT !!!

I am sick of the lies and deceit !!!!!!!!!!!

[Warren DeMontague]

56. The danger is increasing

to someone's gravy train.

[NCTraveler]

58. More fear about mj.

People, if you are drunk or high, don't get behind the wheel of a car. How fucking simple. No real need for a study on that one. I remember little punks when I was younger talk about how they could drive better drunk or high. Dumb asses. Stay off the road.

[hunter]

62. 100% of fatal car accidents involve cars.

I think we ought to be looking at that grim statistic first.

[FarCenter]

63. Marijuana Use May Double the Risk of Accidents for Drivers - links to Columbia U and to study

Over 10 million people age 12 or older are estimated to have driven under the influence of illicit drugs in the prior year, according to a 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

While marijuana is the most commonly detected non-alcohol drug in drivers, its role in causing crashes has remained in question.

To examine the link between marijuana use by drivers and risk of a car accident, researchers at Columbia University did a meta-analysis of nine epidemiologic studies and found that drivers who test positive for marijuana or who report using marijuana are more than twice as likely as other drivers to be involved in motor vehicle crashes. The researchers also found evidence that crash risk increases with the concentration of marijuana-produced compounds in the urine and the frequency of self-reported marijuana use.

According to the researchers 8 of 9 studies found that drivers who use marijuana are significantly more likely to be involved in crashes than drivers who do not. Only one small case-control study conducted in Thailand, where the prevalence of marijuana use is far lower than reported elsewhere, was the exception.

Full study findings are published online in Epidemiologic Reviews.

http://www.mailman.columbia.edu/news/marijuana-use-may-double-risk-accidents-drivers

Marijuana Use and Motor Vehicle Crashes

Mu-Chen Li, Joanne E. Brady, Charles J. DiMaggio, Arielle R. Lusardi, Keane Y. Tzong and Guohua Li*

Abstract

Since 1996, 16 states and the District of Columbia in the United States have enacted legislation to decriminalize marijuana for medical use. Although marijuana is the most commonly detected nonalcohol drug in drivers, its role in crash causation remains unsettled. To assess the association between marijuana use and crash risk, the authors performed a meta-analysis of 9 epidemiologic studies published in English in the past 2 decades identified through a systematic search of bibliographic databases. Estimated odds ratios relating marijuana use to crash risk reported in these studies ranged from 0.85 to 7.16. Pooled analysis based on the random-effects model yielded a summary odds ratio of 2.66 (95% confidence interval: 2.07, 3.41). Analysis of individual studies indicated that the heightened risk of crash involvement associated with marijuana use persisted after adjustment for confounding variables and that the risk of crash involvement increased in a dose-response fashion with the concentration of 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol detected in the urine and the frequency of self-reported marijuana use. The results of this meta-analysis suggest that marijuana use by drivers is associated with a significantly increased risk of being involved in motor vehicle crashes.

http://epirev.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/10/04/epirev.mxr017.abstract

Full text of the paper is available at the link.

OOOPS! Wrong Paper -- here is the right one, but the full paper is behind a pay wall.

Trends in Alcohol and Other Drugs Detected in Fatally Injured Drivers in the United States, 1999–2010
Joanne E. Brady and Guohua Li*

Abstract

Drugged driving is a safety issue of increasing public concern. Using data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System for 1999–2010, we assessed trends in alcohol and other drugs detected in drivers who were killed within 1 hour of a motor vehicle crash in 6 US states (California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and West Virginia) that routinely performed toxicological testing on drivers involved in such crashes. Of the 23,591 drivers studied, 39.7% tested positive for alcohol and 24.8% for other drugs. During the study period, the prevalence of positive results for nonalcohol drugs rose from 16.6% in 1999 to 28.3% in 2010 (Z = −10.19, P < 0.0001), whereas the prevalence of positive results for alcohol remained stable. The most commonly detected nonalcohol drug was cannabinol, the prevalence of which increased from 4.2% in 1999 to 12.2% in 2010 (Z = −13.63, P < 0.0001). The increase in the prevalence of nonalcohol drugs was observed in all age groups and both sexes. These results indicate that nonalcohol drugs, particularly marijuana, are increasingly detected in fatally injured drivers.

http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2014/01/27/aje.kwt327.abstract

[Kelvin Mace]

65. When this study is confirmed in peer review

we will have something to discuss.