Erowid
 
 
Plants - Drugs Mind - Spirit Freedom - Law Arts - Culture Library  
Erowid References Database
Salomonsen-Sautel S, Min SJ, Sakai JT, Thurstone C, Hopfer C. 
“Trends in fatal motor vehicle crashes before and after marijuana commercialization in Colorado”. 
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2014 Apr 23.
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Legal medical marijuana has been commercially available on a widespread basis in Colorado since mid-2009; however, there is a dearth of information about the impact of marijuana commercialization on impaired driving. This study examined if the proportions of drivers in a fatal motor vehicle crash who were marijuana-positive and alcohol-impaired, respectively, have changed in Colorado before and after mid-2009 and then compared changes in Colorado with 34 non-medical marijuana states (NMMS).



METHODS: Thirty-six 6-month intervals (1994–2011) from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System were used to examine temporal changes in the proportions of drivers in a fatal motor vehicle crash who were alcohol-impaired (≥0.08 g/dl) and marijuana-positive, respectively. The pre-commercial marijuana time period in Colorado was defined as 1994–June 2009 while July 2009–2011 represented the post-commercialization period.


RESULTS: In Colorado, since mid-2009 when medical marijuana became commercially available and prevalent, the trend became positive in the proportion of drivers in a fatal motor vehicle crash who were marijuana-positive (change in trend, 2.16 (0.45), p < 0.0001); in contrast, no significant changes were seen in NMMS. For both Colorado and NMMS, no significant changes were seen in the proportion of drivers in a fatal motor vehicle crash who were alcohol-impaired.


CONCLUSIONS: Prevention efforts and policy changes in Colorado are needed to address this concerning trend in marijuana-positive drivers. In addition, education on the risks of marijuana-positive drivingneeds to be implemented.
Comments and Responses to this Article
#
Status: display
earth
May 28, 2014 9:07
Total Vehicular Fatalities Flat : No Causal Correlation #

The news around this report suggest that this paper might be showing a clear causal relationship between the use of cannabis and vehicular fatalities, however the total number of vehicular fatalities appears to be flat since 2009 and the paper does not actually show a causal relationship between cannabis use and death.

As Mark Kleiman puts it: 'Of couse the interesting category is total fatalities, not MJ-positive fatalities. If blintzes became more popular, the number of drivers testing positive for ricotta would increase. So what?'

See Reason Magazine: Another Study That Does Not Show Legalizing Pot Boosts Traffic Fatalities, by Jacob Sullum
Submit Comment
[ Cite HTML ]