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By Linda Carroll
Nearly one in seven drivers traveling with children in the state of Washington has tested positive for THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, researchers said Thursday.
On the basis of a road survey, researchers determined that 14.1% of drivers with children on board had used cannabis, according to their report published in the Journal of Alcohol and Alcohol Studies.
"One of the things I'd like consumers to know is that cannabinoid-based products can hurt," said study co-author Angela Eichelberger, a senior research scientist. at the Insurance Institute for Road Safety. "And different products and methods of ingestion could have different effects."
She added that another concern, she said, is that some of the people who test positive may have been affected.
In October, two studies found an increase in traffic accidents in four of the states where recreational marijuana use has been legalized. Studies have not proven the cause and effect of marijuana use and collisions, but transportation experts worry about the trend.
There are not many studies on cannabis while driving, although existing research suggests that the drug slows thinking time and response time, resulting in an increased risk of collision.
The information used in the new study comes from the Washington State Road Survey Survey, conducted from June 2014 to June 2015 in six counties across the state. Survey data were collected during a Friday session of two hours a day (9:30 am to 11:30 am or 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm) and four night periods on Friday and Saturday. from 10 am to midnight and 1 hour to 3 am).
Drivers were invited to a red light or a stop sign to turn their car into a data collection site. They could earn up to $ 60 to volunteer – $ 10 to give a saliva sample and $ 50 for a blood sample. Along with the samples, drivers completed a questionnaire.
Of the 2,056 Washington drivers who chose to participate, 238, or 9.3%, were accompanied by a child. Researchers say the good news is that drinking and driving campaigns seem to have resonated.
The news was not as good when it comes to marijuana.
The probability that a motorist would become THC positive did not seem to be altered by the presence of a child in the car: 14% traveling with a child were THC positive, compared to 17% of those who did not. were not accompanied by a child. . The difference was not statistically significant, said Eichelberger, which means that it could simply be due to chance.
The survey found that the attitude of motorists with respect to marijuana influenced their consumption or their driving with a child. Of those who thought cannabis was "very likely" to alter driving, 8.9% were THC positive. This corresponds to 40.6% of those who think it is "not very likely" to drive while impaired.
The new study highlights the fact that many people do not realize that cannabis can impair driving ability, said Marilyn Huestis, a professor at the Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp at Thomas Jefferson University.
Although there are national standards for alcohol consumption – a person whose blood alcohol level is equal to or greater than 0.08% is considered to have a developmental disability and dangerous driving – there is still no clear policy on abusive conduct.
"The truth is that if everything goes as planned, you can go home," said Huestis. "But you can not answer correctly and quickly when an unforeseen event occurs. You see it again and again in the event of an accident. "
The new findings are "disturbing," said Dr. Katherine Hoops, assistant professor of pediatric medicine at Johns Hopkins Children's Center. "This highlights a worrying public health problem, especially considering that motor vehicle collisions are a leading cause of death among American children."
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