Marijuana and Driving

Impaired Driving is Impaired Driving Whether From Alcohol or Marijuana

What is Marijuana?

Marijuana is a leafy green plant that when dried can be rolled in cigarette paper and smoked like tobacco.  Unlike tobacco, marijuana is a psycho-active drug.  This drug may remain in the body up to twenty-seven days.  Marijuana causes feelings of euphoria and relaxation.  It can also cause depression, anxiety, fearfulness, hallucinations and delusions.  Marijuana makes perceptions more intense, distorts time and space, lessens short-term memory, and reduces attentiveness and concentration.

Marijuana use peaks for young people between the ages of 18 to 19 years which is also the time young adults are learning and strengthening skills required for driving.

Marijuana and Driving

Think marijuana is safer than alcohol when driving?  Think again.  Skills like coordination, alertness, judgement and perception needed to drive are affected by marijuana, even at low doses.  Marijuana affects your health, your thinking, your feelings and your motor skills.  It impairs your ability to perform complex tasks.  It creates problems with coordination, and diminishes your reflexes.  When driving, marijuana slows your reaction time and causes drowsiness.  It affects your judgement of distance and reaction to signals and sounds on the road.

Impaired drivers who have been injured or killed in a car crash have alcohol as the most common drug found in their blood, followed next by marijuana.  Quebec researchers found marijuana was associated with doubling the risk of being involved in a fatal crash. 

If you drink alcohol while using marijuana – your ability to drive is significantly impaired. 

It’s illegal to drive impaired, whether from alcohol or marijuana.  It’s the law.

Internet Resources:

Straight Talk About Marijuana – http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/pubs/drugs-drogues/straight_talk-parlons_franchement/index_e.html

Did You Know…Marijuana –http://www.camh.net/About_Addiction_Mental_Health/Drug_and_Addiction_Information/cannabis_dyk.pdf

Reliable Links:

MADD Canada – http://www.madd.ca

Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse – http://www.ccsa.ca/CCSA/EN/TopNav/Hom

Health Canada - http://drugwise-droguesoisfute.hc-sc.gc.ca/index_e.asp

Reprinted with permission from the  Committee to End the Abuse of Substances in Essex County

To request a copy of this brochure, e-mail or call J. Palesh, Public Health Nurse