New Study Shows No Increase in Impaired Driving Among Young Adults After Cannabis Legalization in Washington
Attention all young adults! Put down your kale smoothies and listen up. A groundbreaking new study has just been published, and it’s got some major implications for the legalization of recreational cannabis. According to the research, which was recently published in the prestigious journal Prevention Science, there has been no spike in impaired driving among the younger demographic in Washington since the state legalized cannabis.
The study, which analyzed data collected over a five-year period following legalization, focused on the prevalence of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA), cannabis (DUIC), and both substances simultaneously (DUIAC) among young adults. The authors of the study noted that motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for young adults in the United States, and that impaired driving is a major risk factor.
But fear not, hipsters. The researchers also took into account factors such as age, sex, and urbanicity in their analysis. And the results were clear: there has been no significant increase in impaired driving among young adults in Washington since the opening of cannabis retail stores in 2014.
In fact, the study found that the prevalence of DUIA has actually decreased overall, and among drinkers specifically. However, the authors did note that the prevalence of DUIA remains concerning, with 10% of young adults reporting driving under the influence in 2019, and a whopping 16% of drinkers admitting to doing so.
But wait, there’s more. The researchers also found that driving under the influence of cannabis did not change significantly, and actually decreased among those who used cannabis. And while the prevalence of driving under the influence of both alcohol and cannabis simultaneously also decreased, it was not a significant change.
This study has major implications for the ongoing debate surrounding cannabis legalization and its potential impact on traffic safety. As NORML (the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) pointed out, these findings are in line with a previous study from 2022 that found a lower risk of self-reported driving under the influence of cannabis in states with legal recreational and medical cannabis compared to those without.
The authors of that study, published in Preventive Medicine Reports, were motivated by the fact that the relationship between cannabis legalization and traffic safety remains unclear. They used a national sample of past-30-day cannabis users and found that self-reported driving under the influence of cannabis was lower in states with legal recreational and medical cannabis compared to those without.
So there you have it, fellow hipsters. The evidence is clear: cannabis legalization does not lead to an increase in impaired driving among young adults. So go ahead and light up that joint, just make sure you have a designated driver for your next trip to the farmers market.
