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Abstract
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Adopted August 14, 2012, by the National Safety Council Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs
The National Safety Council (NSC) was asked to develop a policy on the impact of medical marijuana. As a result of this request, the NSC Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs (CAOD) conferred to provide a position statement to the NSC and the public on cannabis (marijuana) and driving. The CAOD, as part of its mission to provide recommendations to the NSC and the public on drugs and alcohol and public safety, recommends the following policy on cannabis and driving.
It is the position of the NSC CAOD that it is unsafe to operate a vehicle or other complex equipment while under the influence of cannabis (marijuana), its primary psychoactive component, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or synthetic cannabinoids with comparable cognitive and psychomotor effects, due to the increased risk of death or injury to the driver and the public.
This position statement reflects the views of the members of the NSC Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs and may or may not be an official policy of the National Safety Council.
Commentary
Nearly two-thirds of United States trauma center admissions are due to motor vehicle accidents, with almost 60% positive for drugs or alcohol (1). In 2009, 12.0% of Americans aged 12 or older drove under the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year, and 10.5 million people reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs (2). Despite real or perceived impairment, individuals report willingness to drive if they have a good reason to do so (3-4) or they believe they have developed tolerance (5). Alcohol and cannabis are the most frequently detected drugs in drivers...
Keywords: Cannabis impaired driving
Language: en |