TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2023//
TI  - High 'n' dry? A comparison of cannabis and alcohol use in drivers presenting to hospital after a vehicular collision
JO  - Addiction
A1  - Brubacher, J. R.
A1  - Chan, H.
A1  - Erdelyi, S.
A1  - Yuan, Y.
A1  - Daoust, R.
A1  - Vaillancourt, C.
A1  - Rowe, B.
A1  - Lee, J.
A1  - Mercier, E.
A1  - Atkinson, P.
A1  - Davis, P.
A1  - Clarke, D.
A1  - Taylor, J.
A1  - Macpherson, A.
A1  - Émond, M.
A1  - Al-Hakim, D.
A1  - Horwood, C.
A1  - Wishart, I.
A1  - Magee, K.
A1  - Rao, J.
A1  - Eppler, J.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The characteristics of cannabis-involved motor vehicle collisions are poorly understood. This study of injured drivers identifies demographic and collision characteristics associated with high tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations. <br><br>DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Fifteen Canadian trauma centres between January 2018 and December 2021. Cases Injured drivers (n=6956) who required blood testing as part of routine trauma care. MEASUREMENTS: We quantified whole blood THC and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and recorded driver sex, age and postal code, time of crash, crash type and injury severity. We defined three driver groups: High THC (THC≥5ng/mL & BAC=0); High Alcohol (BAC≥0.08% & THC=0) and THC/BAC negative (THC = 0 = BAC). We used logistic regression techniques to identify factors associated with group membership. <br><br>FINDINGS: Most injured drivers (70.2%) were THC/BAC negative; 1,274 (18.3%) had THC>0 including 186 (2.7%) in the High THC group; 1161 (16.7%) had BAC>0 including 606 (8.7%) in the high BAC group. Males and drivers <45 years had higher adjusted odds of being in the High THC group (v.s., THC/BAC negative group). Importantly, 4.6% of drivers <19 years old had THC≥5ng/mL and drivers <19 years had higher unadjusted odds of being in the High THC group than drivers aged 45-54 years old. Males, drivers aged 19-44 years, rural drivers, seriously injured drivers, and drivers injured in single-vehicle, nighttime or weekend collisions had higher adjusted odds ratios [aORs] for being in the High Alcohol group (v.s., THC/BAC negative). Drivers aged <35 or ≥ 65 years and drivers involved in multi-vehicle, daytime or weekday collisions had higher adjusted odds for being in the High THC group (v.s., High BAC group). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: In Canada, risk factors for cannabis-related motor vehicle collisions appear to differ from those for alcohol-related motor vehicle collisions. The collision factors associated with alcohol (single vehicle, nighttime, weekend, rural, serious injury) are not associated with cannabis-related collisions. Demographic factors (young drivers, male drivers) are associated with both alcohol and cannabis-related collisions but are more strongly associated with cannabis-related collisions. FUNDING: This study received funding from Health Canada, CIHR, Ministries of Transportation of Alberta and Ontario and Saskatchewan Government Insurance.    Keywords: Cannabis impaired driving; Ethanol impaired driving <p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0965-2140
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/add.16186
ID  - ref1
ER  -