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Weed Legalization More Dangerous for Road Safety Than Previously Believed

As marijuana legalization spreads across the U.S., transportation and road safety organizations are sounding the alarm that driving high is just as dangerous as driving drunk — and much more complicated.

Marijuana, the THC-containing part of the cannabis plant, impairs driving performance by diminishing motor coordination, multitasking abilities, reaction time and distance perception, according to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board.

Impairment also lasts up to five times longer than alcohol intoxication, which usually wears off within eight hours.

But few Americans know about these dangerous effects or how long they persist, posing serious road safety concerns as drugged driving becomes more common.

In a March study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, found roughly 85% of 2,000 cannabis users reported driving the same day they use the drug. Only 19% thought their driving became worse after cannabis use and 34% believed they drove better after use.

“It is super clear that there are some real misperceptions about driving and cannabis use and the safety of it,” Rebecca Steinbach, who led the AAA FTS survey, told The Center Square. “We know that cannabis can impair your physical and motor function and your decision-making, and drivers aren’t always the best judge of whether they’re impaired.”

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2 thoughts on “Weed Legalization More Dangerous for Road Safety Than Previously Believed”

  1. So this article states a “marijuana impairment last up to 5 times longer than alcohol intoxication which usually wears off in eight hours” Bullshit, that is 40 hours, almost two days? Really?

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