Since marijuana legalization, highway fatalities in Colorado are at near-historic lows

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I saw something on a news magazine type show within the last few months where they got different people, with different tolerance levels for cannabis, had them use different amounts and tested their driving on a closed course. It wasn't until they had used quite a bit of cannabis (which contained a decent amount of THC) that they ran into trouble.

At first, most drove better than they did when they were sober, but as the experiment wore on they made stupid and careless mistakes, but mistakes that could have caused a major accident if on a regular roadway.

It was really interesting. I will try to find it and post a link to it if I can.

S&F for the great thread!

Edit: This may be the story that I saw...I thought it was on TV this year, but this is from 2013. This is an article from The Daily Mail about the TV segment, btw, not from the original source.

Stoned Driving Experiment

While there may be a correlation, it is waaay too early to assume that legalization has led to lower highway fatalities. Or to put it another way.. some folks drink. Some smoke. Do all those people drink and smoke? Unlikely. So this is a broad leap of logic without much basis in fact (i.e. history). If you are suggesting that high people drive more safely than non-high people, I say you are nuts.

originally posted by: fleabit
While there may be a correlation, it is waaay too early to assume that legalization has led to lower highway fatalities. Or to put it another way.. some folks drink. Some smoke. Do all those people drink and smoke? Unlikely. So this is a broad leap of logic without much basis in fact (i.e. history). If you are suggesting that high people drive more safely than non-high people, I say you are nuts.

You are correct in my opinion.

It simply cant be possible that a stoned person drive better or safer - but compared to somthing like deteriorating eye sight, or a prescription out of date, it is less dangerous.

If you smoke a bowl WHILE drive, no argument at all - but against a person going slowly blind or some other medical ailment, a smoker who wait an hour or two first, certainly less dangerous overall.

originally posted by: Morningglory
If traffic fatalities are down I wonder if given the choice people will opt for MJ over alcohol. Maybe weekend alcohol warriors are smoking instead.

People might be more focused on the social aspect of partying, not so much on what's ingested. Availability/legality could be a factor for them.

Some stores sell bud shake. It still packs a punch but it's more affordable. People spend lots of cash drinking and feel horrible afterward. If bud shake can get them where they want to be at a reasonable price with no hangover, it sounds like common sense to me.

It's possible alcoholics are consuming both, pass out quicker than they would with alcohol alone. It could give them couch lock, no desire to get behind the wheel.

I'm willing to bet food/restaurant deliveries are up. Going out/about can ruin a perfectly good high, smokers prefer to stay put have munchies delivered. The drinkers I know like going out for breakfast after partying all night.

Drinkers have too much confidence in their abilities, stoners know they're high and don't want to ruin it. They prefer listening to music/communing with nature than driving on the interstate. Totally different state of mind.

Yup I agree with this, and I would also add that they did a study recently (on phone and in bed going to sleep so no linky lol) that asked the question, what happens when you drink alcohol... and smoke at the same time...

The conclusion? You get pretty damn baked! The reason being is that people with alcohol in their system also contained higher thc levels... When you drink it makes your body take in more canabanoids... So you get higher, faster! Sounds like it has potential for alcoholics... They reduce drink intake as they'll be too mashed to even go get any! XD

Man... so glad they opened the discussion of this back up... I know another poster mentioned about comments removed... I must say, I was suprised my comment was left standing as much as they are...

But my words are my truth, it's how my life was... And its how I feel... But also I think it is just plain common sense. We all choose things or do things that carry some risk or that perhaps we shouldn't. Down.to each individual to make those choices... As an ADULT I need no bubblewrap from anyone lol, no-one could make me listen or do something I didn't want to at 14, what kinda chance do they have now at 33!

It actually makes me very upset that some poor folks are locked up for nothing more than liking something other people dont! I mean wtf??? Seriously... In prison for your personal preference? I like toast... Well I dont you're going to jail sunshine! pfft... Jokers

As for why is my comment still there, maybe the mods felt sorry for me for getting a punch in the face or maybe theu were too busy laughing? XD

originally posted by: lovebeck
a reply to: Krazysh0t

I saw something on a news magazine type show within the last few months where they got different people, with different tolerance levels for cannabis, had them use different amounts and tested their driving on a closed course. It wasn't until they had used quite a bit of cannabis (which contained a decent amount of THC) that they ran into trouble.

At first, most drove better than they did when they were sober, but as the experiment wore on they made stupid and careless mistakes, but mistakes that could have caused a major accident if on a regular roadway.

It was really interesting. I will try to find it and post a link to it if I can.

S&F for the great thread!

Edit: This may be the story that I saw...I thought it was on TV this year, but this is from 2013. This is an article from The Daily Mail about the TV segment, btw, not from the original source.

Stoned Driving Experiment

Nice! Not read it yet but do you know if they had a control? ie people that were not smoking... Dunno why am asking really, I'll go read now lol...

But yeah I think all things in moderation... when I somke I don't do bob marleys XD I put a tiny bit in and that does me, I just like the taste and it chills me out just enough that I don't go start my very own mini revolution! lmao

I smoke it all day everyday, I don't drive, the mrs does but I will confidently say I would and could drive with my level of stone... You would never really know I am!

I mean its the same as if I had a few cans... Its nothing to me... Im in no way drunk or out of control of my body lmao... I can drink a whole bottle of jack daniels to myself and get a good nights sleep lol... I defo wouldnt go driving then XD

But the point is 3-6 beers I could easily control a vehicle... Smoking at the same time too...

What are the excuses for all the other accidents???? lol


EDIT: From the article I see no control, a bunk experiment is bunk... What kind of experiment has no control??? Yeah, didn't want to show that non stoned drivers would likely make similar mistakes!

Near the start of the article it mentions how they lost control quickly after a few puffs but if you read on that is not the case at all... Damn liars...

Then when one backs over a cone they said it means they would have hit a person... Yeah mayby one that is cone sized and hiding behind your vehicle out of view, sure lmao.

originally posted by: wantsome
I smoked a lot of pot as a teenager. The first two years of getting my driver license I caused 12 car accidents. I haven't caused an accident since I quit smoking at the age of 20. One accident I was sued for $50k.

These threads are nothing more then pro pot propaganda. Weed addicts will say anything to push their agenda for legalization.

I call shenanigans. I don't see how you could get anywhere near CAUSING twelve accidents without having your license suspended/revoked. I don't believe you at all.

Since there is no way of proving this either way, we'll just have to disagree.

Just for the record, I see your posts as anti-pot propaganda, pushing a anti-freedom platform.

a reply to: MinangATS

yeah but emergency care and vehicle safety hasnt really changed all that much in the last couple years
sooooo......

Thanks for the post, seems legit and i know it is... i have some friends whos driving skills improve when they have smoked and some friends where the case is the oppesite, so i think its rly op to people who smoke to determine if they can drive or not agree? sorry if my english is #ty.. reply to: Krazysh0t

originally posted by: simpelmatter
Thanks for the post, seems legit and i know it is... i have some friends whos driving skills improve when they have smoked and some friends where the case is the oppesite, so i think its rly op to people who smoke to determine if they can drive or not

agree? sorry if my english is #ty.. reply to: Krazysh0t

Yes I think you are right, as I was saying before, not that Im proud of it, just is what it is, but I can consume vast amounts of alcohol and weed before I pass out lol. After a few beers and a few spliffs I would be more than fine... But then I'm not talking about knocking back the beers or smoking over a gram in one go. I take my time, there is no-one behind me lol.

But I have a friend who after 1 beer will catch a buzz and gets a bit hyper, you would think the beer is speed to him... I wouldn't want to get in the car with him like that lol...

Every person is different... I know people who won't smoke weed cos it makes them flip out and be super paranoid. I understand that, if it did that to me I wouldn't smoke it either lol

BBC TV produced an interesting documentary in 2008 called "Should I Smoke Pot?".

Worth a watch for the driving & injected cannabinoid/THC experiment.

Also, purely for entertainment purposes

a reply to: lovebeck

That's interesting. I once saw a study that compared drivers on marijuana to drivers on alcohol and it determined that marijuana causes people to drive more carefully since they know that they are intoxicated (as opposed to alcohol causing people to pretend they aren't).

Marijuana and Driving: A Review of the Scientific Evidence

Nevertheless, this impairment does not appear to play a significant role in on-road traffic accidents. A 2002 review of seven separate studies involving 7,934 drivers reported, “Crash culpability studies have failed to demonstrate that drivers with cannabinoids in the blood are significantly more likely than drug-free drivers to be culpable in road crashes.” This result is likely because subject under the influence of marijuana are aware of their impairment and compensate for it accordingly, such as by slowing down and by focusing their attention when they know a response will be required. This reaction is just the opposite of that exhibited by drivers under the influence of alcohol, who tend to drive in a more risky manner proportional to their intoxication.

I like how this study was back in 2002 BEFORE pot was legalized anywhere (medical was legal in places though). Meaning it preempted the fear mongering from the anti-marijuana crowd. Though, I'd like to say that at no times should you be driving impaired. Obviously even this study suggests that these people know they are doing something they shouldn't be doing and are compensating for it. But it is certainly proof that the fear mongering from the anti crowd was baseless.

originally posted by: wantsome
I smoked a lot of pot as a teenager. The first two years of getting my driver license I caused 12 car accidents. I haven't caused an accident since I quit smoking at the age of 20. One accident I was sued for $50k.

These threads are nothing more then pro pot propaganda. Weed addicts will say anything to push their agenda for legalization.

So your response to us pro-marijuana people is to throw out some questionable anecdotal evidence to refute the claims made in the OP using actual highway stats. This is why you anti-marijuana people are losing this fight. All you guys rely on is fear mongering, propaganda, and blowing small things out of proportion. Anyone with half a brain cell can see past these deceptive techniques.

originally posted by: TheSpanishArcher

originally posted by: wantsome
I smoked a lot of pot as a teenager. The first two years of getting my driver license I caused 12 car accidents. I haven't caused an accident since I quit smoking at the age of 20. One accident I was sued for $50k.

These threads are nothing more then pro pot propaganda. Weed addicts will say anything to push their agenda for legalization.

I call shenanigans. I don't see how you could get anywhere near CAUSING twelve accidents without having your license suspended/revoked. I don't believe you at all.

Since there is no way of proving this either way, we'll just have to disagree.

Just for the record, I see your posts as anti-pot propaganda, pushing a anti-freedom platform.

So you think people never drive after they have lost there license, seems you support using pot. Just to point out i neither support or fight the use of pot I just study all the facts I can find. The main fact I have found is if pot is legalized then the drug dealers have to lower the price of other much more dangerous drugs in order to make money. This single side affect is in its self one good reason not to legalese pot

Lmao... that makes no sense at all... And here is a thought... Legalise ALL drugs and then the "drug dealers" make ZERO money, right?

Also I would like to ask you, do you call people that sell alcohol "drug dealers"??

Are asda drug dealers? Tesco? Your local off licence? Are these companies drug dealers? Just curious....

a reply to: Krazysh0t
Seriously, 3 speeding tickets in a year give you a suspended license, let alone accidents. Insurance must be close to a million a year too for that claimed bumper car driver

a reply to: Krazysh0t

SOMETHING is causing this and odds are it is due to a substantial change in the environment to cause a substantial change in the statistics.

Yes, you are correct. Something is changing:

Cars are safer. (and firemen and paramedics have better tools and more training than what they used to have)

a reply to: TKDRL

Also he said that he did this as a teenager. You know, when most people are complete jackasses and act out impulsively all the time? There is so much more to that story that it is just laughable.

Safe to say Cannabis has never impaired my driving skills. I recall smoking eight blunts in quick succession and driving actually seemed effortless. I don't know what that "teenager" was talking about on page four of this thread, but I highly doubt you could get into twelve accidents and keep your license. I'm nineteen and I have never been in a car accident.

Most people have a tendency to forget what Cannabis is. Most people assume it's a party or recreational drug when it's not. Cannabis is a psychedelic. Some people can't handle its effects without succumbing to some form of panic attacks or paranoia.

Cannabis effects the mind more than the body. It's easy to drive while "intoxicated" on it, unless you're stupid. It's not meant for operating vehicles but if you have to go pick a pizza, it shouldn't be a problem.

a reply to: Krazysh0t
From about 14-22, I partook every single day, driving was really no problem for me. Only been one accident in my life, and that was due to hitting some ice on the road, that was hidden under a few inches of snow and sliding into the drainage ditch on the side of the road. That was long after I couldn't smoke anymore, so pot didn't have any part in it. Have been ticketed twice in my life so far, one was completely bogus, the other was totally my fault. Both were also after I couldn't smoke anymore.

originally posted by: Mon1k3r
Isn't it a little early in the game to be claiming that marijuana legalization is the cause for fewer highway fatalities? I can't imagine how any data set could be sufficient to support the claim at this point.

I have to agree with you here. There may be other forces at play here: could be any reason for the lessening of highway deaths; from better built cars to less motor vehicle accidents

Overall I don't believe in short term studies. Long term statistics seem to give a more real picture of reality.

FWIW: I am a supporter of the legalization of marijuana on a federal level, and see less harm in THC as an intoxicant than I do alcohol.