Posted By LambChop
The American Journal of Epidemiology published a study that tracks the amount of fatal car chrashes and their causes. Fatal car crashes with drivers under the influence of pot have tripled in the United States between 1999 and 2010.
Of course contradicts the argument for those who believe pot should be legalized because it is “less harmful” than alcohol.
“Currently, one of nine drivers involved in fatal crashes would test positive for marijuana,” said Dr. Guohua Li, director of the Center for Injury Epidemiology and Prevention at Columbia, co-author of the study. “If a driver is under the influence of alcohol, their risk of a fatal crash is 13 times higher than the risk of the driver who is not under the influence of alcohol,” Li said. “But if the driver is under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana, their risk increased to 24 times that of a sober person.”
The researchers found that drugs played an increasing role in fatal traffic accidents. Drugged driving accounted for more than 28 percent of traffic deaths in 2010, which is 16 percent more than it was in 1999.The researchers also found that marijuana was the main drug involved in the increase. It contributed to 12 percent of fatal crashes, compared to only 4 percent in 1999.
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