Medical Weed reduces traffic deaths, drinking

[Bevo Incognito]

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[Rex Kramer]

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[Mr. Deez]

I'm against the drug war. It's silly and a waste of resources (human and financial). However, I don't like these "medical marijuana" initiatives because they're a big ruse to let potheads get pot through crooked elements of the medical community. That's a bad thing. If we're going to legalize marijuana, then let's discuss the issue on the merits and make a decision one way or the other, but we shouldn't pass a backdoor legalization that makes the medical community a conduit for getting drugs that are ultimately intended for recreational rather than medical use.

Why would "medical" marijuana reduce alcohol consumption if it's truly just for medical purposes? Isn't this "study" basically conceding that the "medical" argument is BS and that what we're really talking about is making it easier for dumbass kids to get pot through a crooked doctor rather than a crook off the street? If anything this study weakens the argument for medical marijuana.

 

[Longhorny630]

I would say any drug other than alcohol would lower the automobile death rate.

If you are drinking alcohol, you are either at home with no intention of going anywhere, or out somewhere intending to go home after drinking is complete. You are out partly because it is legal for you to drink.

If you are using an illegal drug, chances are you are doing it in a place where nobody is going to bother you and you have no intention of going out, as doing so greatly increases your chance of getting caught. So you relax, and stay in, at least until your high starts to wear off, at which point your driving skills return to normal.

Simple question is this. You are on a plane coming in for a landing, the cockpit door opens, and you notice both pilots smoking weed. Do you start panicking or do you say 'well, there was this study that said traffic deaths are down.' Based off studies I've seen and first hand accounts of people who are high, it ain't because it's safer than driving drunk, I would say it's because they drive less and wait longer til they start driving and the effects have started to wear off.

 

[AustinTejasFan]

"If you are using an illegal drug "

No, medical marijuana use is legal under state law in at least a third of the states. The feds have pretty much said they're not gong to bust medical marijuana patients.

 

[NEWDOC2002]

I can find a study that pretty much supports anything. It doesn't make it a good study. Try again.

 

[rickysrun]

I'd imagine that a good %age of drivers are under the influence of something, whether it be benadryl, marijuana, alcohol or prescription drugs. I'll take the driver who smoked marijuana any day compared to the another driver under the influence of the others.

 

[accuratehorn]

This seems to be a pretty thorough, wide-spread study. The rate of traffic deaths declined more in the states with legal marijuana laws than in other states, and over a ten-year period.
The study also shows that in those states, beer sales declined five percent overall.
Does it conclusively prove the reduction in traffic deaths in those states was due to the reduced beer consumption in young people, or increased marijuana use? No, but it is good correlation, and doesn't appear to be "mere coincidence."
It appears likely to be associated with the reduction in traffic fatalities.
Either young drivers drink less, and or drive less in states where legal medical marijuana laws have been passed.
It was interesting that hard liquor consumption did not change, just beer consumption, the favorite beverage of younger drinkers.
Sure, it would be better if no one drove after drinking, smoking pot, or taking any medication, but that is not going to happen.

 

[Bevo Incognito]

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[Knoxville-Horn]

This isn't a slight but I think it's funny that the guy with the handle "rickysrun" is defending marijuana.

 

[majorwhiteapples]

Didn't traffic and alcohol related deaths go down in every other state as well? One or 2 less deaths in a state like Oregon is a big number, maybe they should have compared weather. Were there less or more severe storms in that time frame? Why am I even discussing this.....

 

[Bronco]

I am certainly in favor of legalizing mj. Stupid that we don't.

However, I do find the irony of this study as did Deez. The study says:

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[Horn89]

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[rickysrun]

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