The recent review of changes in traffic accident rates following the legalization of marijuana found that the legalization of recreational marijuana in the five Western states was associated with a 6.6% increase in personal injury rates and a 4% increase in fatality rates compared to other Western states where marijuana use was illegal. What has actually happened in the states that have legalized cannabis is that law enforcement agencies across the state immediately and vigorously began a new policy of screening more drivers than ever before for the legalization of residual traces of THC. Which remain detectable in a driver`s system for up to several months after cannabis use. Changes in traffic accident rates after the legalization of marijuana: results by severity of the accident You are quite smart, and I will say that you have a fair point about society losing the contributions of man. It takes a lot of money to buy weed, and if someone loses their job or can`t get one due to a drug habit, they can be so psychologically addictive that they resort to theft. I also don`t buy it when I hear weed smokers think smoking makes them a little better, nor the line “it`s just a plant”. Opium is also a plant, just because something is natural doesn`t mean it`s harmless. Weed is not as harmful as opium because it is not physically addictive, but it is still addictive. I`m not a heavy smoker, I`ve only tried it a few times at parties and it made me a little anxious. I think the anxiety-inducing effect would prevent some of them from doing that. However, I know people who love it, and I hate it when they are punished as if they had committed a violent crime like an attack. When it comes to the part about someone who has a medical emergency, drug users are often reluctant to call paramedics because they fear being caught with drugs.
If it were legal, they might be more inclined to call 911 instead. I think legalization would help eliminate an important source of revenue from cartels, the “high” 🙂 supply (pardon the pun) could drive down black market prices. The herb now has more THC than in the past, but prohibition has pushed that a bit. People want the smallest amount possible in places where it is illegal because it is so risky to own a larger amount and have less availability. I think almost every U.S. state will completely decriminalize or legalize weed at some point in the near future. I live in a socially conservative state (Kentucky) that is probably among the last to do so. They present the argument about the net results of law enforcement in relation to personal items. Let me tell you a story.
In the `70s, I knew a guy who graduated from MIT with a degree in aeronautical engineering. He lived on welfare and what he could do with his hydroponic “grass.” He eventually lost enough financial ground to feel he had to find a good job. With his degree, he had little trouble finding a job at Bay Area Rapid Transit. However, he stopped after two weeks. Not only was it his personal loss of income, but society lost what he could have contributed because he preferred to get high rather than work 40 hours a week. Colorado data suggests that drug driving has not changed. Data from the Colorado Department of Transportation does not support the claim that serious impaired driving injuries are on the rise. The Colorado Department of Transportation`s Problem Identification Report, released in 2017, actually shows that the percentage of cases an officer suspected of drugs or alcohol in a serious accident decreased slightly or remained stable after legalization.6 “Connected marijuana” is NOT the same as “caused marijuana.” – This is a trick first developed by the Colorado Drug Police, who fought against the legalization of this state. That is what is happening. An unhappy and unaffected marijuana user is hit by a drunkard, text message, or other bad driver. – Everyone in all cars is tested, even passengers. If only one person tests positive or finds a small amount of marijuana in one of the cars.
Shazaam! – You have a “marijuana-related” accident. – This gives you a mountain of false statistics. Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the impact of marijuana legalization and the subsequent start of retail sales on traffic injury and fatality rates in the United States over the 2009-2019 period. Farmer points out that states considering legalizing marijuana should consider certain measures to prevent a possible increase in accidents. “First of all, convincing everyone that driving under the influence of marijuana is not acceptable,” he says. “Then you enact laws and sanctions that punish those who ignore the message. Finally, make sure you have the resources (i.e., personnel and training) to enforce these laws and sanctions. “Maybe a research/article paying to scare the public about the legalization of marijuana? Overall, the first increase in the injury rate occurred after legalization, but before retail sales began. Rates of injuries caused by car accidents increased 6.5% after legalization, but decreased slightly (-0.7%) after retail sales began. However, the fatal accident rate increased both after legalisation (+2.3%) and after legalisation of retail trade (+1.8%). How many of these accidents were caused by marijuana use rather than anything else. I would like to see the actual studies showing that marijuana caused the accident.
A IIHS study provides further evidence of an increase in car accidents in Western states that have legalized marijuana. In addition to feelings of relaxation and euphoria, a marijuana high changes the user`s time and sensory perception. This type of impairment can easily lead to a car accident under the influence of drugs. “Legalizing marijuana is not without cost,” said lead researcher Charles Farmer, Ph.D., of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in a press release. “Legalization removes the stigma of marijuana use, while the launch of retail only increases access,” Farmer adds. “But access to marijuana is not difficult, even in places where there is no retail. Users who have already avoided driving may feel that everything is fine after legalization. “Many experts disagree, although the assessments are inconsistent. In part, this is because some studies base the correlation on the presence of THC in the blood or urine, while others focus on the effects of recent marijuana use. A review of the existing literature concluded that people who drive a motor vehicle after smoking cannabis are about twice as likely to be involved in a traffic accident. And studies have shown specific deficiencies, such as slower reaction time associated with marijuana use.
But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration`s (NHTSA) Drug and Alcohol Accident Risk Study found that the increased risk of traffic accidents associated with marijuana use largely disappeared when researchers controlled for other factors such as age and alcohol use. Cannabis presentations to the emergency room after car accidents in the age of recreational legalization The exact meaning of this increase is unclear, as a positive THC test is not necessarily correlated with marijuana impairment.