Frequent marijuana use and driving risk behaviours in Canadian youth

Abstract

Background: A better understanding of the relations between patterns of marijuana use and driving risks in young adulthood is needed. Methods: Secondary analyses of self-report data from the Victoria Healthy Youth Survey. Youth (baseline ages 12 to 18; N=662; 52% females) were interviewed biannually (on six occasions) from 2003 to 2013 and classified as abstainers (i.e., used no marijuana in past 12 months), occasional users (i.e., used at most once per week), and frequent users (i.e., used more than once a week). Results: In the frequent user group, 80% of males and 75% of females reported 'being in a car driven by driver (including themselves) using marijuana or other drugs in the last 30 days', 64% of males and 33% of females reported that they were 'intoxicated' with marijuana while operating a vehicle and 50% of males and 42% of females reported being in a car driven by a driver using alcohol. In addition, 28% of occasional users and also a small proportion of abstainers reported 'being in a car driven by a driver using marijuana or other drugs in the last 30 days' . Interpretation: The high frequency of driving risk behaviours, particularly for frequent users, suggest that plans for legalization of recreational use should anticipate the costs of preventive education efforts that present an accurate picture of potential risks for driving. Youth also need to understand risks for dependence, and screening for and treatment of marijuana use disorders is needed.

Cannabis Legalization and the Policing of Boating Under the Influence in Washington State: Exploratory Research on Marine Officers’ Perceptions

“…Officers who do suspect cannabis impairment by BUI operators face several obstacles in determining impairment and the substance(s) involved. The capacity of police to detect, test for, and then link substance consumption to impairment is limited (McKnight et al, 1999;Leadbeater et al, 2017). According to Carro (2016), law enforcement officers have experienced considerable difficulty in determining levels of 'under the influence' and the associated reasons for its observed presence.…”

“…The officers are expected to document the level of impairment observed using the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST) or Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE)-based indicators of drug-based impairment (Carro, 2016). Any conclusions the officers reach about the specific effects of cannabis are commonly complicated by the fact that many drivers and boaters detained for suspected impairment have used cannabis in combination with alcohol (Leadbeater et al, 2017).…”

Driving under the Influence of Cannabis: Perceptions from Canadian Youth

“…Alarmingly high prevalence rates of Canadian youth cannabis consumers have been previously reported with upwards of 64% of males and 33% of females reporting having previously DUIC (Brubacher et al, 2020). The public safety concerns become even more pressing, with 80% of male and 75% female young cannabis consumers having been a passenger in a vehicle of a cannabis-impaired driver (Leadbeater et al, 2017). The prevalence of young driver engagement in DUIC or passengers impacted by DUIC is particularly concerning and youth non-consumers have a stake in the commonality of DUIC as passengers seeking transportation are at risk for DUI-related harms.…”

“…Youth have consistently been found to engage in more reckless or risky driving behaviours. When coupled with substance use, the chance of harm to oneself, passengers, and others near the roadside is exacerbated (Bergeron & Paquette, 2014;Leadbeater et al, 2017).…”

Driving under the influence of cannabis: perceptions from Canadian youth

“…More specifically, recent national data supports that the highest prevalence of risk for engaging DUIC-related behaviours continues to be observed among Canadians aged 15 to 24 years of age [ 3 , 9 , 10 ]. Alarmingly high prevalence rates of Canadian youth cannabis consumers have been previously reported with upwards of 64% of males and 33% of females reporting having previously DUIC [ 11 ]. Youth DUIC pose additional road safety risks due to the combination of effects from intoxication and developmental factors.…”