(WWJ) – With more and more states legalizing recreational marijuana, a new study shows car crashes are on the rise in states where it’s legal.
The report in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found states that have legalized marijuana saw a nearly 6% increase in car crashes and a 4% rise in fatalities compared to states that haven’t legalized it.
The report analyzed data in five states over a 10-year period.
Dr. Eric Coffman, an addiction medicine specialist at Addiction Medicine Consultants in Farmington Hills, tells WWJ Health Reporter Dr. Deanna Lites that’s not necessarily surprising, given that weed has been shown to alter judgment, depth perception and time perception.
“There’s a general perception that marijuana is a harmless drug, but there is no such thing as a totally harmless drug,” Coffman said.
Coffman says those who use marijuana shouldn't drive for at least 12 hours.
“The estimated increases in injury and fatal crash rates after recreational marijuana legalization are consistent with earlier studies, but the effects varied across states,” the JSAD report says. “Because this is an early look at the time trends, researchers and policymakers need to continue monitoring the data.”
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