Columbia University Study: Fatal Car Crashes Involving Marijuana Have Tripled (since 1999) -

[Bill USA]

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

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“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.

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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.
(more)

[font size="+1"] "Hey mannn, but they didn't know what hit'm.... yeah man..."


But dude, some of the people killed weren't high... or driving, or in the car...[/font]

[Bennyboy]

1. Marijuana Users Are Safer Drivers Than Non-Marijuana Users, New Study Shows

A new study released by United States auto insurance quote provider 4AutoInsuranceQuote.com shows that statistically speaking, marijuana users are safer drivers than non-marijuana users.

New York (PRWEB) April 06, 2012

In a recent study, 4AutoinsuranceQuote.com, a national quote provider for online car insurance quotes, cites a strong correlation between traffic-related accidents and marijuana use. The study, which looks at statistics regarding accidents, traffic violations, and insurance prices, seeks to dispel the thought that “driving while stoned” is dangerous.

In the study, 4AutoInsuranceQuote.com points out that the only significant effect that marijuana has on operating a motor vehicle is slower driving. 4AutoInsuranceQuote.com says, while referencing a study by the US National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), that driving slower “is arguably a positive thing” and that driving under the influence of marijuana “might even make you a safer driver.” A similar study by the NHTSA shows that drivers with THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) in their system have accident responsibility rates below that of drug free drivers.

In fact, a recent study shows that use of medical marijuana has caused traffic related fatalities to drop by up to nine percent in states that have legalized its use. This study, titled “Medical Marijuana Laws, Traffic Fatalities, and Alcohol Consumption”, conducted by Mark Anderson and Daniel Rees in November 2011, shows that increased marijuana use amongst adults has decreased alcohol related traffic deaths in said states. This study provides solid evidence that marijuana is not only a safe substitute for alcohol, but it also makes for more safer drivers.

MORE: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/4/prweb9375729.htm

[Bill USA]

2. 'Hey man, what that red thing up there?"

"Hey Man,,, what's that red thing up there?"

"Uh, I think it's a Red Light, Man."

"What's a red light?"




"ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha"

[malthaussen]

4. There was a similar study in 1973.:)

We used to talk about it in the D&A center where I volunteered, and use it to blow people's minds.

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.

-- Mal

[Bill USA]

5. Link to Columbia University study, peer reviewed, abstract in the American Journal of Epidemiology

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


Were the studies you referred to peer reviewed?.. What Journals were they published in?


I am always interested in science based inferences.


oh, not interested in studies which compare stoned driving to drunk driving. Drunk driving has nothing to recommend itself as a standard.

[malthaussen]

7. 40 years ago, Bill.

I'm pretty sure it was a peer-reviewed study by a university, possibly one of the California system. But it was mostly a gag-reference around the center, and I don't think anybody ever cited the journal it appeared in.

It was a drunk-driving comparison, though. They tested the straight, the stoned, and the drunk, and the stoned won, even beating out the straights. That's all I can remember of it, alas.

But this stuff has been going on since pot became an issue. It's generally not too hard to find a study that supports the position one wants to take.

-- Mal

[Bill USA]

9. interested in any real study, peer reviewed, published, available for examination. anecdotes have

little to no value to me.

BTW, the varieties of MJ available now are MUCH more potent than what was being 'toked' in the 70's.

[malthaussen]

12. Sorry, old chap.

I was indulging in the art of conversation, not trying to prove a point, and certainly not interested in being "of use" to you, except perhaps as entertainment.

I fully understand and approve your desire for documentation of claims made when engaging in serious policy discussion. My error for assuming you were just shooting the breeze.

-- Mal

[Bill USA]

24. I confine 'shooting the breeze' posts to GD not 'Good Reads'

[Alittleliberal]

15. Ohh come on, that's prohibitionist bullshit.

Just because better weed is more available, that doesn't mean it didn't exist in the 60s/70s. If you got some Colombian high-grade or Thai sticks in the 70 it was just as good as the top shelf stuff we have at dispensaries. Weed has been smoked around the world for thousands of years, to try to claim that we have drastically improved weed in the last 30 years is a remarkable ego trip.

[Bill USA]

27. Average Marijuana Potency by Year, 1975-2003 -

http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.additional-resource.php?resourceID=191

We compiled a table of marijuana potency, 1975-2003 from the Annual Reports (Nov. 9. 1999 to Nov. 8, 2003) of Mahmoud A. ElSohly, PhD, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Marijuana Project at the National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi. (We obtained these documents from a 2004 Freedom of Information Act request to NIDA.)
The compilations follow.


[div class="excerpt" style="float:right;width:auto;"][font size="4"]"Awwwwesome maaaan"[/font]



Year ..........THC %
1970's ....... 1.08 %
1990's........ 3.76 %
2000's........ 5.73 %

[Bennyboy]

17. Oh Please.......

GNUS for ya Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaan, but Sinsimilla has been around for almost 40 years. (1974 or so origin in Jerry Garcia's backyard)

And back thne weed was pretty damn good anyways..

Maui Wowie is STILL the best weed I ever smoked. Thai stick? The Nepalese temple Balls? Acupulco Gold? The same Mexican shit from back then is still around. The smuggled stuff.

I don't smoke nearly as much as I used to that is for sure. A few hits every so often and I am good. I never sit down and burn a personal fattie.

[Bill USA]

28. hey, check it ouuuuuuwwwt......

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101684667#post27

[lob1]

31. All that means is you smoke less to get just as stoned.

[roseBudd]

34. That's why they call it 1 hit weed

Weed is instant. People who drink don't know they drank too much until it is too late

[kristopher]

23. "not interested in studies which compare stoned driving to drunk driving" = WTF???

With such a statement we don't need to wonder why you didn't post the abstract. The OP article you've posted is poor quality science reporting; it is unquestionably misstating the significance of the findings recorded in the abstract to assign more "blame" to MJ than the study warrants.

IIRC, you love alcohol personally and are involved in building distilleries professionally, aren't you?

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

Received July 12, 2013.
Accepted December 4, 2013.

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 drugsdetected 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.

[Bill USA]

25. I think you could use some weed. chill out. Note quote from abstract --

"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). "


note: 12.2/4.2 = 3 (rounded)

title of article: "Study: Fatal Car Crashes Involving Marijuana Have Tripled"


this does not mean alcohol is the new 'health drink'. but MJ is experiencing a change in status and use ... cf change in use in Colorado. It just warrants a scientific investigation. Actaully, Colorado will be a good experiment. We should see how it goes.


[font size="3"] meanwhile, chill, maaaaann...[/font]

LOL

[HuckleB]

37. It is interesting to see the knee-jerk reactions and assumptions made in the hope ...

... that this study is all wrong.

It's so difficult to get people to just take a real, honest look at anything, any more.

[HuckleB]

35. That study isn't covering driving while under the influence. It's just a general study.

Bottom line remains: Drunk driving is dangerous. Driving while under the influence of marijuana may or may not be as dangerous, but it's not cool. It appears to cost lives.

[Ed Suspicious]

3. believe while correlation = causation

[Bill USA]

26. yeah me toooooo,

[KurtNYC]

6. "one in nine drivers invovled in a fatal crash would test positive..."

That is not significantly higher (no pun) than the "10% of adults in the US claim to have smoked pot in the last year."

If 10% are using then one would expect 10% of almost any large group to test positive and therefore does not show a causal relationship.

Looks like "Reefer Madness" sells these days.

ETA: The 10% number comes from a door-to-door survey that routinely under reports the use of cigarettes by 30 to 50% so it is safe to assume that people admitting to the use of still mostly illegal substances is even MORE under reported.

If the real number of drivers who would test positive for MJ is anything over 11% (which it likely is) then driver with MJ in their system are LESS likely to be involved in a fatal crash than drivers who lack it.

http://www.alternet.org/story/142556/over_100_million_americans_have_smoked_marijuana_--_and_it%27s_still_illegal

[Bennyboy]

18. Ding ding ding...

Wait till they find out that 40% of the population puffs tuff in CA for example. Heads are gonna turn. Of all the people I know, I can think of perhaps five that DO not puff weed.

[Bill USA]

29. ....

[fredamae]

8. I'm afraid that might

be complete bs. THC doesn't metabolize out of a persons system for up to 6 weeks after use. The Effects from cannabis lasts for 2-4 hours...
Big difference. So if you're involved in any incident--you're gonna test positive, but that does Not indicate causality.

They don't mention any levels of THC.

What we Need to do is use actual Impairment testing. They have both stationary and mobile units.

Many things besides consumption of anything cause impairment. Sleep disorders, up all night with a sick child=fatigue, emotional trauma-birth, death, divorce, marriage, fights-illness, - a study, in fact, revealed people who are in chemotherapy function about the same as a person with a .05 BAC...We can't be so quick as to single out a single "thing" to accuse-as if all our problems of road/driver safety simply disappears if everyone stopped using cannabis. Prove impairment, then we'll talk.
We Need Research.

[Bill USA]

10. I agree some serious research is needed, with MJ currently available.

[Bill USA]

11. better email American Journal of Epdiemiology, explain to them how they fucked up it in accepting

the study for publication.

[Bennyboy]

19. Cleverly worded propaganda piece

BE SCARED. everyone know it is bullshit. They can't do that anymore. We have facts on our side.

[Bill USA]

30. yeah, what he said... uh, what did you say again?

[Bennyboy]

32. Give the kid a guitar and he is

set for life.

[Voice for Peace]

13. Besides one testing positive for pot, were any of the ten under the influence of tobacco? Caffeine?

Surely there's just as close a correlation.
How about testing for Zombinex? Loonesta?

[Bennyboy]

20. Caffeine? RED BULL?

NYQUIL? Oxy? Morphine patches seem to be all the rage these days.....

[Voice for Peace]

21. the list of drugs they don't bother testing for goes on and on and on and on and on and on

and on.

[bemildred]

14. You can test positive for pot long after you have stopped being high.

It is no surprise that positive test results would go up in states that allow legal consumption, that's the whole idea when you legalize it.

[marble falls]

16. Having THC in one's blood is not the same as saying thedriver is unsafe......

http://www.canorml.org/healthfacts/healthmyths.html

Myth: Marijuana is a Major Road Safety Hazard

Numerous research studies have found that marijuana is on balance less of a public road hazard than alcohol. Various accident surveys have found that over half of fatal drivers have alcohol in their blood, as opposed to 7 - 20% with THC, the major psychoactive component of marijuana (a condition usually indicative of having smoked within the past 2-4 hours)[12] However, the great majority (70% - 90%) of THC-positive drivers also have alcohol in their blood. There is little accordingly little evidence that marijuana use by itself is a major public safety hazard [ 13].

Two major studies by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration have confirmed marijuana's relative safety compared to alcohol. The first, the most comprehensive U.S. drug accident study to date, surveyed blood samples from 1882 drivers killed in car, truck and motorchycle accidents in seven states during 1990-91[14] Alcohol was found in 51.5% of specimens, as against 17.8% for all other drugs combined. Marijuana, the second most common drug, appeared in just 6.7%. Two-thirds of the marijuana-using drivers also had alcohol. The report concluded that alcohol was by far the "dominant" drug-related problem in accidents. It went on to analyze the responsibility of drivers for the accidents they were involved in. It found that drivers who used alcohol were especially culpable in fatal accidents, and even more so when they combined it with marijuana or other drugs. However, those who used marijuana alone appeared to be if anything less culpable than non-drug users (though the date were insufficient to be statistically conclusive). The report concluded, "There was no indication that marijuana by itself was a cause of fatal accidents." (It must be emphasized that this is not the case when marijuana is combined with alcohol or other drugs).

The second NHTSA study, "Marijuana and Actual Driving Performance," concluded that the adverse effects of cannabis on driving appear "relatively small" and are less than those of drunken driving[15] The study, conducted in the Netherlands, examined the performance of drivers in actual freeway and urban driving situations at various doses of marijuana. It found that marijuana produces a moderate, dose-related decrement in road tracking ability, but is "not profoundly impairing" and "in no way unusual compared to many medicinal drugs." It found that marijuana's effects at the higher doses preferred by smokers never exceed those of alcohol at blood concentrations of .08%, the minimum level for legal intoxication in stricter states such as California. The study found that unlike alcohol, which encourages risky diring, marijuana appears to produce greater caution, apparently because users are more aware of their state and able to compensate for it (similar results have been reported by other researchers[16]).

However, a recent Australian study by Drummer found that drivers with high blood levels of THC (> 5 ng/ml) had a significantly higher rate of accident culpability than drivers who were drug-free, comparable to drunken drivers [16A]. This was not true of drivers with only trace amounts of cannabinoids in their systems. High blood levels are indicative of recent use within the last couple of hours. This suggests that acute, current pot use is a driving hazard, though not residual after-effects of chronic use, which often show positive in drug tests.

Another survey of 2,500 drivers in South Australia failed to find evidence that marijuana is a significant road safety hazard[16B]. The researchers examined blood samples from drivers in non-fatal accidents for traces of alcohol, cannabinoids (marijuana), benzodiazepines (tranquilizers), and amphetamines. The researchers then assessed the drivers' degree of culpability for the crashes. Overall, they found no increase in culpability for drivers showing cannabinoids alone compared to drug-free drivers. In contrast, there was a very strong relation between alcohol blood levels and accident culpability. The combination of marijuana with alcohol also showed strongly increased accident culpability. Benzodiazepines, but not amphetamines, also showed higher culpability. Another analysis of 1,052 fatal drivers in Australia suggested that marijuana is if anything associated with a decreased risk of accidents.

Similar results have been reported in other driving studies as well[16C]. It should be noted that these results may not apply to non-driving related situations, where forgetfulness or inattention can be more important than speed (this might explain the discrepancy in the Baltimore hospital study, which looked at accidents of all kinds). In addition, the second NHTSA study warned that marijuana could also be quite dangerous in emergency situations that put high demands on driving skills.

For a summary of the evidence on marijuana and driving safety, see Cal NORML's "Marijuana and Driving" and "Drug Test Results and Accident Risks" . See also Dr. Franjo Grotenhermen's IACM - DUIM Project site, and Cannabis and Driving: A Review of the Literature and Commentary (U.K. Department for Transport)

[fasttense]

22. Right.......

And how many people were using their cell phones or texting right before the accidents? Correlation is NOT causation.

[Bennyboy]

33. How many people were listening to PINK FLOYD?

Us and Them. MONEY MONEY, ....

[HuckleB]

36. How many people were using red herrings?

[ThomThom]

38. The fear of legalization is making people try to fight back

by making stuff up. Last week it was the first death, now this. They will get more desperate as the day draws near. We need to do more questioning of people that pronounce truths using statistics and personal knowledge to know their agenda. Make them explain the methods etc.