A six-year analysis of more than 10,000 Canadian drivers involved in motor vehicle collisions suggests cannabis has edged out alcohol as the most common impairing substance detected through after-crash blood testing.
The National Drug Driving Study 2024, produced by the University of British Columbia, says researchers analyzed blood samples from drivers in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador between 2018 and 2023.
They found 54 per cent of these injured drivers tested positive for at least one impairing substance, and among that group 16.6 per cent had cannabis in their blood stream while 16 per cent had alcohol.
91裸聊视频淒riving after cannabis use appears to be an emerging problem in Canada and may now be more common than driving after drinking alcohol,91裸聊视频� the study says.
91裸聊视频淗owever, given the very high crash risk associated with alcohol, and the fact that most 91裸聊视频榗annabis positive91裸聊视频� drivers had low THC (the active substance in cannabis) levels, it can be concluded that driving after drinking remains a bigger problem in Canada.91裸聊视频�
The study also found that Atlantic Canada led the country in the proportion of injured drivers more likely to have used weed.
Of the 624 injured drivers from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador who were tested during the study period, 26 per cent of drivers tested positive for cannabis while 22 per cent tested positive for alcohol. Overall, 70 per cent tested positive for drugs or alcohol, which was also higher than the national average.
Lead author Dr. Jeff Brubacher, who is with the University of British Columbia91裸聊视频檚 department of emergency medicine, said the overall prevalence of impaired driving in Atlantic Canada was something that stood out for him.
91裸聊视频淭hat was the single most striking thing,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 would say it91裸聊视频檚 a problem across the country, but it does seem to be worse in Atlantic Canada.91裸聊视频�
Researchers in British Columbia have been studying cannabis in blood alcohol since 2012, and it91裸聊视频檚 clear that the number of drivers with weed in their system has gone up since legalization in 2018, he said.
91裸聊视频淚 would still say that good, old-fashioned alcohol is still probably the biggest problem of a single substance,91裸聊视频� Brubacher said. 91裸聊视频淏ut a new problem is the combination of alcohol and cannabis, and that91裸聊视频檚 a bad combination.91裸聊视频�
The study said cannabis intoxication causes attention deficits, slows reaction time and impairs tasks such as tracking ability 91裸聊视频� such as staying within a lane 91裸聊视频� or monitoring the speedometer. However, it says habitual cannabis users may develop tolerance to some of its effects.
91裸聊视频淭he effect of alcohol on driving and road safety is well-studied and understood,91裸聊视频� the study says. 91裸聊视频淯nlike alcohol, it is often not possible to predict how driving will be affected at different drug-blood-alcohol concentrations.91裸聊视频�
The target audience for this study, Brubacher said, includes emergency room physicians, public health officials, police and organizations that help spread awareness about safe driving.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 just to warn people of the risks of driving while impaired, of the risks of combining alcohol and cannabis,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 really hoping we can continue to collect this kind of data, and I91裸聊视频檓 hoping that 91裸聊视频� police can use it to guide enforcement, and injury prevention people can use it for public education.91裸聊视频�
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