Marijuana Use Not Significantly Associated With Increased Traffic Accident Risk, According to New Study

Marijuana Use Not Significantly Associated With Increased Traffic Accident Risk, According to New Study

BUCHAREST, ROMANIA Cannabis exposure is not strongly associated with an increased risk of motor vehicle accident, according to ameta-analysisof 24 epidemiological studies published in the journalFrontiers in Pharmacology.

Investigators at the University of Bucharest, Department of Medicine and Pharmacy reviewed data from two-dozen studies assessing the association between cannabis-positive drivers and unfavorable traffic outcomes, such as motor vehicle collision, injury, or death.

Authors concluded: Our analysis suggest that the overall effect size of DUIC (driving under the influence of cannabis) on UTEs (unfavorable traffic events) is not statistically significant.

Researchers also questioned the validity of imposing strict liability standards upon motorists who test positive for past cannabis exposure, such as by the presence of THC in their blood.

Simply identifying cannabis use in a driver is not enough to justify the assumption of an increased risk for UTEs, they concluded. When such a result is obtained, it should be corroborated with either quantitative data regarding cannabis use, or a clinical assessment of the driver, before establishing his (or her) fitness to drive.

NORML has longopposedthe imposition of THCper ...

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