Study: Traffic Fatalities Have Not Increased As A Consequence Of Legalization

Discussion in 'Marijuana Legalization' started by old bser, Mar 31, 2018.

  1. Study: Traffic Fatalities Have Not Increased As A Consequence Of Legalization
    Thursday, 29 March 2018

    No Increase of Traffic Fatalities

    Eugene, OR: The enactment of adult use marijuana regulations in Colorado and Washington is not independently linked to an increase in traffic fatalities, according to a study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

    Investigators at the University of Oregon compared traffic accident outcomes in Colorado and Washington following legalization to those in other states with similar pre-legalization economic and traffic trends. They reported, "We find that states that legalized marijuana have not experienced significantly different rates of marijuana- or alcohol-related traffic fatalities relative to their synthetic controls."

    Authors concluded, "In summary, the similar trajectory of traffic fatalities in Washington and Colorado relative to their synthetic control counterparts yield little evidence that the total rate of traffic fatalities has increased significantly as a consequence of recreational marijuana legalization."

    The study's findings are similar to those of a 2017 study published in The American Journal of Public Health which reported, "Three years after recreational marijuana legalization, changes in motor vehicle crash fatality rates for Washington and Colorado were not statistically different from those in similar states without recreational marijuana legalization."

    A 2016 study reported that the enactment of medical cannabis legislation is associated with an immediate decline in traffic fatalities among younger drivers.

    For more information, contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Early evidence on recreational marijuana legalization and traffic fatalities" is available from the National Bureau of Economic Research.
     
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  2. They will eventually find it is actually a good thing for road safety after enough people get past the road rage bullshit with a little help from Mr. THC.
     
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  3. They should make it an endorsment.
     
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  4. In Oregon we have billboards stating that States with legal/medical marijuana have a reduced amount of Opioid related deaths.
     
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  5. Something like this really needs to be considered at least for medicinal users who are technically indirectly prohibited from driving, based on the way traffic laws are presently written WRT impairment. People using cannabis medicinally on a daily basis (anyone really, for that matter) are basically 100% guaranteed to fail a drug screen for traffic-related purposes.
     
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  6. More studies really need to be done on the subject. I have no doubt I could pass a driving test under the influence of cannabis, it is not the same as alchohol and shouldn't be treated as the same.
     
  7. This is totally irrational. The number of active users hasn't changed due to legalization. No one I know is going to use it on an modified basis just because it's legal now. Most people still fear for their jobs.
     
  8. Have you seen the Netflix documentary called "The Legend of 420"?
    There is a guy in CA who's taking garbage sized bags of product for delivery and is stopped by a cop WHILE smoking and driving. He's actually HOLDING a lit joint when the cop walks up and he shows the cop his medical card and DL and the cop sends him on his way without issue. His car looked like a hotbox from a cheech and chong movie or something.

    It's interesting.
     
  9. Yeah I've seen it. It's a fairly narrow-focused little spiel about stupid shyt a handful of Cannabis operators do - not exactly any sort of indicator for nationwide traffic safety policy.
     

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