The Great Marijuana Myth: Is Driving High Dangerous?
A recent study finds that drivers who smoke marijuana within a few hours of driving are more likely to get into an accident than sober drivers. Find out how much more.
Last week, the British Medical Journal published a study about the effects of smoking cannabis (aka marijuana, pot, weed, Mary Jane) on driving ability. Researchers at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, analyzed 9 prior studies and concluded that — contrary to most pot smokers’ beliefs — driving while high on pot leads to a higher risk of car accidents.
Now, before we go any further, let’s address the elephant in the room: pot is illegal in most states. But (as we know) people smoke it regardless of what the law says. However, no matter what folks tell you, driving under the influence of any controlled substance is illegal and dangerous.
We could write endlessly about reckless driving — drinking, using a cellphone, and even driving tired all put you and others at risk — but for our purposes today, let’s focus on Dalhousie’s study and the specific dangers of smoking pot and driving.
Weed and driving effects
Turns out, drivers who smoke marijuana within a few hours of driving are almost twice as likely to get into an accident as sober drivers. And though the accident stats aren’t as bad as they are for drinking and driving, the risk is palpable.
While alcohol is still the most common accident-inducing substance, a recent survey quoted on the National Institute of Drug Abuse’s Web site found that 6.8 percent of drivers who were involved in accidents — most of whom were under 35 — tested positive for THC (the chemical found in marijuana).
Smoking weed and driving laws
Unlike testing for alcohol levels, researchers and law enforcement officials have not yet determined how to accurately test for levels of marijuana intoxication. Many states, however, have begun to take a hard line on this public safety issue and police officers are now being trained to detect signs of marijuana intoxication. And make no mistake about it: driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs — including legal-use marijuana — is illegal in all states.
Get a breakdown of drugged driving laws here.
The great marijuana myth
It’s possible you’ve heard a pot aficionado state: “I’m a better driver when I’m stoned.” Not true. A major issue with drugged driving is that when you’re high (well, not you specifically, we know you’d never do that), you don’t always realize that your judgment is impaired. This is especially true for teenagers who are already at-risk drivers. Couple this with a few hits of ganja, and the buzz can become, well, killer.
Though it varies by person, it generally takes at least 3–4 hours to come down from a high. No amount of strong coffee or greasy food is going to sober you up faster.
Drinking and driving vs. smoking weed and driving
Most of us grew up hearing “don’t drink and drive,” but not nearly as much effort was put into preventing the combination of smoking pot and driving. Yet marijuana affects reaction time, spatial sense, and perception — all of which are crucial to safe driving. So when a person is driving high, they may end up following another car too closely (and brake too late), make unsafe turns, or misjudge road hazards.
The fact remains: weed and driving don’t mix
In the coming years, we may see a move toward the legalization of pot. But no matter where you stand on the issue — “a need for weed” or “not for pot” — we should all be on the same page when it comes to designating a driver who abstains from ALL mind-altering substances (legal or not).
If you’re into graphs and footnotes, you can read the whole British Medical Journal study here.
Related links
Driving on drugs: stats and facts
National Institute of Drug Abuse article on drugged driving
National Institute of Drug Abuse research report on marijuana abuse
CNN reports marijuana nearly doubles the risk of collisions
Dalhousie University report
Are you serious, please tell me that there was no money spent on this sudy,
If there was,i want to meet the idiot that authorized it
I would just like to throw out here for everyone that if I had a choice of people that I had to drive next to on any given day:
A) somone texting/cell phone use
B) somone eating
C) somone drunk
D) somone stoned
My opinion: I feel under the circumstances given out of the four drivers, a person stoned is not as dangerous as the other drivers. I feel this is a lost argument because unless they are distracted rolling/packing their weed up, or removing their hands to actually smoke it then they are typically paying attention driving slower than the speed limit. Hate on it but this is a stupid post because there are bigger issues then weed. Weed is illegal though, it's a totally biased argument.
Mike, I think I'll have to agree with you here! Also, doesn't it seem strange to you that in spite of the fact that alcohol abuse kills so many people in a variety of ways (including those who do not drink) and marijuana is so much safer, alcohol use is legal and marijuana use is not!? It kills me that our government strenuously puts down their foot at legalizing pot and makes all sorts of excuses for allowing alcohol consumption to go on unabated…seriously twisted!!
Mike ,,I think if I had my choice of driver next to me ,it would be someone sober ,not high ,not eating ,not texting ,not using cellphone,,.It's not good to rationalize bad behavior with other bad behavior,,driving is a privilege,,not a right ,,our right is to expect
to be as safe as possible in the road ……just my two cents
When I was 17 in high school (21 years ago), driving while high was like playing video games. Hills seemed steeper, stop lights seemed further down the road, shadows at night would play tricks on the mind… As I got older and more tolerant of THC, those tunnel vision type experiences went away. But every now and then I'll forget where I'm going for a moment. That's about it. Never an accident, always seem to be more cautious and less aggressive. I say "seem", cause in reality I'm paranoid and those paranoid feelings fuel my desire to focus more on driving. When I'm sober I drive fast, cut ppl off more frequently and for lack of a better term an a$$ h0!3 on the road. I do not believe pot is for everyone, but those who have grown up with it like I have know the absolute truth about what can and cannot happen while stoned. A better use of time would be spent researching the benefits of pot and ways to integrate it with society that doesn't keep the public misinformed.
Exactly…..you said what I think..
Yeah, when I was in high school, the pot would make me an unsafe driver. (And that was with bad pot!) It would invade my brain and cause a general slowdown in all thought processes.
But now, thirty years later, I am a legal card holding medical patient and wish I still had that reaction from the pot. I smoke all the time. yet I hardly ever get stoned now. All the wonderful new strains of medical MJ just make me pleasant and hard to get out of the couch. I can talk and carry on conversations, I can cook without cutting myself, run all the small tools without endangering my fingers and process photoshop for my job.
But a bad driver? I really don't think so. I am more relaxed and much less aggresive when medicated!
When I am not medicated, I yell and scream at the other drivers, I get extremely agitated and drive much more aggresively! Tailgating, passing, daring other drivers to get too close.
On the whole, I think I am a less safe driver when I am NOT medicated as opposed to when I am.
But all this is just my reactions and opinions, yours may vary.
Back in the day, I drove stoned a few times, once a friend and I were on our way to Port Aransas for the day, we had both been smoking, and she said to me, "do you think you want to go a little faster than 25mph?"
After that, I didn't drive stoned, not only do I drive like a snail, but I get all paranoid that everyone else knows I smoked. lol
Stoned drivers are not aggressive drivers UNLESS they are mixing smoke with another substance, that's when the trouble starts.
All things considered, the article is informative while the study is clearly and irrefutably bias, the fact remains that it was produced, published and distributed with the full support of those whom would benefit from our acceptance of it's validity. So choose what your own sovereign self has determined to possess elemental truths.
Yea I would have to disagree, I drive a spreader, forklift, motorcycle, semi and etc….in fact my Job is to be a driver, I drive all day everyday and guess what!! I'm blazed out of my mind the entire time…NEVER been in an accident in my life. I'm way more cautious and careful and pay attention to detail more. This was a completely biased report, obviously the woman who wrote this isn't a toker..if I smoked today and got in an accident tomorrow I'd prlly have thc in me, doesn't mean I got in an accident because I was stoned.
Could not of said it better.lol
Impaired and, or distracted driving puts everyone at risk. When we drive, we are on the road with everyone else. We all share the risks of eveyone's decisions as a whole. I like to treat others as I would hope to be treated. Thanks for minimizing the risks everyone!
As a "pothead" I've learned these past 15 years weed does affect judgement. To say otherwise is naive. If emotions do why wouldn't a drug? With that being said I still believe it should be legal. Regardless of any fact presented common sense will tell you its safer than liqour, beer, or presription medicines. If these are legal marijuana should be as well. I've never heard a case of someone getting their stomach pumped from smoking too much pot, but its an all to common story for alcohol or presription medicines playing out everyday. I believe our government has a lot more serious issues to worry about than some "budz". Like the heroin epidemic or molly craze for example. How about we focus on those since they are killing the youth
Thanks for your honesty. Of course smoking marijuana affects judgement. Anything that alters the mind affects judgement. And driving while judgment is impaired is deleterious. Period.
Decriminalizing drug use doesn't mean that we need to make a case that using drugs is consequence free. Ways and means will need to be created to identify drug impaired driving (in much the same way as has been done to determine the all popular drug alcohol's ability to impair driving) and then appropriate laws made and enacted to ensure that driving while impaired by any drug has legal consequences.
When pot heads insist that their ability to drive is enhanced by their drug of choice (along w/other reckless claims) it just degrades any argument for decriminalization.
As a daily pot smoker, I agree smoking marijuana will alter your perception, reaction time, emotional demeanor, and hand-eye coordination.
However, in order to reach the point where these become a serious health risk to people on the roadways, this requires a serious amount of cannibis intake. Most people that stoned aren't going to be doing anything but couch surfing.
With no statistics comparing the amount of marijuana-related accidents to alcohol, texting, eating, messing with the radio, trying to put on make up, change clothing, etc. This is only a biased argument with no actual data to back up the claims.
An easy google/bing search reveals marijuana is the least of your worries while on the roadway.
Rubbernecking: Drivers slowing down their cars to watch what is going on
Cell phones: Drivers using their commute time to make phone calls
Driver fatigue
Passenger distractions
Looking at scenery
Adjusting the radio
Drunk driving: It is estimated that every 30 minutes, a person dies in an alcohol-related crash
Reckless drivers: Drivers who drive recklessly or unsafely cause accidents through their aggressive driving this may come as a result of improper or excessive lane changing, speeding, or improper passing on the road
Automobile defects: A car accident may occur because of a defect in a driver's car in such a situation, the car manufacturer or supplier may be held liable
Poorly maintained roads
Malfunctioning traffic signals
Other highway defects
YES, marijuana impairs your motor skills, BUT compared to what?
Comparing driving sober vs. any intoxicant of course the sober driver should be more capable. I am sure that there is a percentage of pot smokers that feel they drive better high than sober just like I am sure there are people who drink and drive and claim to not have an issue. I have done both and by far high is safer than drunk. That being said using that logic makes the argument for legalization of marijuana far more difficult. Legalize it don't criticize it.
Nicely written article, Jessica!
Regardless of one's opinion on the use of marijuana, is hard to argue with the fact that it's a really good idea to NOT be operating heavy machinery while under the influence of a mind-altering substance.
Personally I would love to see the pro-legalization community on their best behavior during this pivotal time in our nations history. Things are changing and the last thing that needs to happen is a surge of now-legally-high folks getting into auto accidents. That's not going to help anyone feel good about legalization.
Its been legal in LA since 1996 and there are over 1600 dispensaries in the city. Obviously 10s of thousands use the drug yet everyday to make the dispensaries profitable yet there has not been a surge of people wrecking their car while using it. This makes me skeptical of this article. The numbers just don't add up to it being dangerous. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if there were fewer people drinking and driving because now they can smoke instead. Just a theroy…like the claims in this article.
What other substances were those involved in the accidents on? Was it weed only? Alcohol impairs one's judgment a lot more than weed.
Delayed reaction time caused me to drive slower with more caution back in the day. Stats are handpicked here to benefit the insurance industry.
I completely agree. Also, what does it mean when they say it was found in their system? A heavy smoker could have it in them for weeks. And did the 6.8 percent cause the accident or were there other factors involved? What they should do is compare stats from legalized pot states to nonlegalized and see if there is a dramatic difference in the overall safety of driving on the roads in those places. If it was twice as likely for it to cause an accident it would likely be WAY more dangerous to drive in legalized cites.
No one should drive under the influence of any drug and alcohol. Doing so is a total act of recklessness and end point.
Here it does not matter if you like, if you do or not. What matters most is that it threatens life itself and others.
No, it doesn't.
I could make arguments and go in circles with you, but since you didn't provide any basis for your claims, there is nothing else to rebut.
Of those involved in an accident, 6.8 percent tested positive for THC..meaning 93.2 percent of those involved in accidents had no THC in system. According to those statistics alone marijuana users are far less likely to be involved in an accident than drivers who do not use marijuana. What about cause of accident, determining who was at fault, type of accident etc..shouldn't those be considered when trying to determine marijuana and its effect on driving? Simply testing positive for THC after an accident may often have no correlation to why and how an accident occurred.
I believe anything that can distract a driver from the task at hand should be illegal. In my opinion, someone operating a vehicle while texting/talking on the cell phone is much more dangerous than someone high driving a vehicle. Since it is hard for police to identify someone who is high, I do not see any study on marijuana and driving having good data to base any conclusions on. Thoughts?