By Erik Bascome on www.silive.com
As legalized marijuana use becomes increasingly prevalent across the country, recreational states like New York must do a better job to discourage cannabis-impaired driving, according to a leading traffic safety organization.
On Tuesday, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), Responsibility.org and the National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving (NASID) released a new report entitled Cannabis Consumers and Safe Driving: Responsible Use Messaging, offering a blueprint for recreational states to effectively communicate the dangers of cannabis-impaired driving.
“As legal cannabis use becomes more widespread in the U.S., motorists need to know the dangers of driving under the influence,” said GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins. “But that message won’t be heard if it’s outdated, irrelevant or insulting to cannabis consumers.”
Over the past decade, recreational cannabis use has been legalized in 18 states, including New York, with several others set to vote on legalization in the upcoming November election.
The push for legalization has coincided with an overall increase in cannabis use, with 18% of U.S. residents age 12 and older, nearly one in five, reporting having used cannabis in 2019.
While marijuana use has become increasingly mainstream in recent years, not all people have grasped the potential risks associated with cannabis-impaired driving, with years of research confirming the drug’s ability to inhibit attention, decision-making, coordination and reaction time.
H/T: www.silive.com
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