Laws that actually reduce DUI?

[patric]

Why Medical Marijuana Laws Reduce Traffic Deaths

States that legalize medical marijuana see fewer fatal car accidents, according to a new study, in part because people may be substituting marijuana smoking for drinking alcohol.

Sixteen states and the District of Columbia, have legalized medical marijuana since the mid-1990s. For the new study, economists looked at 1990-2009 government data on marijuana use and traffic deaths in the 13 states that had passed legalization laws during that time period. The data were from the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Comparing traffic deaths over time in states with and without medical marijuana law changes, the researchers found that fatal car wrecks dropped by 9% in states that legalized medical use — which was largely attributable to a decline in drunk driving. The researchers controlled for other factors like changes in driving laws and the number of miles driven that could affect the results.

Medical marijuana laws were not significantly linked with changes in daytime crash rates or those that didn't involve alcohol. But the rate of fatal crashes in which a driver had consumed any alcohol dropped 12% after medical marijuana was legalized, and crashes involving high levels of alcohol consumption fell 14%.

MORE: Study: Legal Medical Marijuana Doesn't Encourage Kids to Smoke More Pot

The authors found that medical marijuana laws reduced crashes in more men than women—by 13% compared to 9%— in line with data showing that men are more likely to register as medical marijuana users than women.

The overall reduction in traffic deaths was comparable to that seen after the national minimum drinking age was raised to 21, the authors note.

"We were astounded by how little is known about the effects of legalizing medical marijuana," lead author Daniel Rees, professor of economics at the University of Colorado-Denver, said in a statement. "We looked into traffic fatalities because there is good data, and the data allow us to test whether alcohol was a factor. ... Traffic fatalities are an important outcome from a policy perspective because they represent the leading cause of death among Americans ages 5 to 34."

The authors also found that in states that legalized medical use, there was no increase in marijuana smoking by teenagers — a finding seen in other studies as well. But, in many cases, the laws were linked with an increase in marijuana smoking among adults in their 20s; this rise was accompanied by a reduction in alcohol use by college age youth, suggesting that they were smoking weed instead.

Studies have consistently found that while mixing either marijuana or alcohol with driving is inadvisable, driving high is much safer than driving drunk. Research on stoned driving is inconsistent, with some studies finding impairment and others not; the alcohol data, however, is clear in establishing a link between drinking and significant deterioration in driving skills. The data also consistently shows that using both drugs together is worst of all.

MORE: Study: Whites More Likely to Abuse Drugs Than Blacks

Driving under the influence of marijuana seems to be less risky because people who are high tend to be aware that they are impaired and compensate, while alcohol tends to increase recklessness and create false confidence. Also, people are more likely to smoke weed at home or in private, rather than out at bars or other public events that require driving to get to.

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/02/why-medical-marijuana-laws-reduce-traffic-deaths

[Red Arrow]

Also, people are more likely to smoke weed at home or in private, rather than out at bars or other public events that require driving to get to.

This should probably be more than an afterthought.  I know that after consuming a few beers at home and not driving anywhere that my probability of being a traffic fatality is pretty near zero.

Edit: change "are" to "is"

[custosnox]

This should probably be more than an afterthought.  I know that after consuming a few beers at home and not driving anywhere that my probability of being a traffic fatality are pretty near zero.

Not to mention there really aren't establishments set up for people to smoke pot and socialize.  Give it time for things like this to pop up and see how the trend goes.  It's too early for these "studies" to really have a basis.

[patric]

I know that after consuming a few beers at home and not driving anywhere that my probability of being a traffic fatality are pretty near zero.

If nothing else, it's a cue to the liquor lobbyists to continue to pour money into fighting marijuana reform.

[patric]

Not to mention there really aren't establishments set up for people to smoke pot and socialize.  Give it time for things like this to pop up and see how the trend goes.  It's too early for these "studies" to really have a basis.

I think they are called "coffee houses", at least in those countries where it is legal.

[custosnox]

I think they are called "coffee houses", at least in those countries where it is legal.

Oh, your talking about the places like Amsterdam that have decriminalized pot.  I think the demographics are far enough from what we have here to use it as a real model.

[nathanm]

Oh, your talking about the places like Amsterdam that have decriminalized pot.  I think the demographics are far enough from what we have here to use it as a real model.

Can you elaborate?

[custosnox]

Can you elaborate?

The difference is really in the cultures.  While I'm not an expert on Dutch lifestyles it seems to me that it would be a far enough cry from the American lifestyle that it would be significant.  From what I know, there is a far smaller percentage of people who drive there, which would surely effect the numbers.  Beyond this, other factors would have to be taken into account such as enforcement of DUI laws.  Something tells me that they don't focus on it like we do here, which would also effect the numbers, and I'm sure that a legal system that has decriminalized marijuana would also be less likely to charge someone with being impaired by the same.

[Ed W]

The difference is really in the cultures.  While I'm not an expert on Dutch lifestyles it seems to me that it would be a far enough cry from the American lifestyle that it would be significant.  From what I know, there is a far smaller percentage of people who drive there, which would surely effect the numbers.  Beyond this, other factors would have to be taken into account such as enforcement of DUI laws.  Something tells me that they don't focus on it like we do here, which would also effect the numbers, and I'm sure that a legal system that has decriminalized marijuana would also be less likely to charge someone with being impaired by the same.

European cities have a higher mode share for public transportation, bicycling, and walking for several reasons.  First, car ownership is expensive as VAT taxes add considerably to the sticker price.  Gasoline and upkeep are significantly more expensive too.  These cities were originally laid out for pedestrians, horses, and wagons, so their scale is also much more dense than a typical American city.  Parking may be non-existent in some places, adding another onus to motor vehicle use. 

So while there's a pub on every street corner and often one or two in between, it's easy to have a drink or six and then stumble home on wobbly legs rather than behind the wheel of a car.

[patric]

So while there's a pub on every street corner and often one or two in between, it's easy to have a drink or six and then stumble home on wobbly legs rather than behind the wheel of a car.

I think the point of the American study was that fewer people that were driving were intoxicated as a result of substituting a less harmful drug for alcohol, not that fewer people were driving, period.

[dbacks fan]

The difference is really in the cultures.  While I'm not an expert on Dutch lifestyles it seems to me that it would be a far enough cry from the American lifestyle that it would be significant.  From what I know, there is a far smaller percentage of people who drive there, which would surely effect the numbers.  Beyond this, other factors would have to be taken into account such as enforcement of DUI laws.  Something tells me that they don't focus on it like we do here, which would also effect the numbers, and I'm sure that a legal system that has decriminalized marijuana would also be less likely to charge someone with being impaired by the same.

Drivers who cause death by driving under the influence of alcohol may be charged with up to six years in jail. Injuring someone while drunk behind the wheel of a car carries a prison sentence of up to three years. Refusing to take a breathalyser test may incur penalties. Police have the authority to confiscate a vehicle if the driver is caught doing excessive speeds or driving while over the alcohol limit.

http://southholland.angloinfo.com/countries/holland/driving.asp#2

[Red Arrow]

I think the point of the American study was that fewer people that were driving were intoxicated as a result of substituting a less harmful drug for alcohol, not that fewer people were driving, period.

That may be their point but they don't make it properly unless that factor is included.

[nathanm]

Oh, your talking about the places like Amsterdam that have decriminalized pot.  I think the demographics are far enough from what we have here to use it as a real model.

Well, it has worked in 13(?) states so far.

[custosnox]

Well, it has worked in 13(?) states so far.

How is that?  As stated before, in those states there isn't a point of socialization and distribution for consumption like there is with alcohol.  The long term outcome of these things will depend on what society produces for such things.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Not to mention there really aren't establishments set up for people to smoke pot and socialize.  Give it time for things like this to pop up and see how the trend goes.  It's too early for these "studies" to really have a basis.

What we do have is almost 100 years of keeping data on a wide variety of human activities when impaired, and while there are 20,000 or so killed every year due to drunk related driving, there are so few killed or even injured due to stoned driving that it doesn't even have a separate category in FBI statistics.  Which means the two or three killed in streetcars are in much greater danger than from a stoner.  But hey, reality has never been our strong point.  Especially when there is a large corporate interest to benefit!!  In this case, a couple of them.