Newly released federal data has finally confirmed what many have known for years: it is far more dangerous to drive drunk than stoned. According to the National Highway Traffic Administration study, after making adjustments for gender, race, and similar demographics, drivers who where under the effects or marijuana were no more likely to end up in traffic accidents than sober drivers. The authors of the study stated:
“At low levels of alcohol (e.g., 0.03 BrAC) the risk of crashing is increased by 20%, at moderate alcohol levels (0.05 BrAC) risk increases to double that of sober drivers, and at a higher level (0.10 BrAC) the risk increases to five and a half times.”
Other research has found that obviously, driving extremely stoned can still be unsafe, but marijuana users are highly unlikely to cause any havoc on the road.
Regardless of the research, prohibitions like Dianne Feinstein still claim that:
“The risk of people using marijuana and driving is very substantial.”
All the while, the rest of the federal government still deems marijuana as a dangerous, schedule 1 drug with no positive effects.
Further research by the NHTSA found that driving while high on cannabis was found to be not just safer than alcohol, but safer than painkillers and sedatives as well.
All this research points to a disturbing reality… the drugs the government deems as highly dangerous are far more harmful than those they have deemed legal. Painkillers killed 16,007 people in 2012, more than twice the amount than heroin killed. The recent spike in heroin death is due to the painkiller addicts seeking their highs without the doctors prescribing it to them, according to the CDC. Alcohol crushes both of those numbers with over 88,000 deaths per year. Marijuana death still remain at 0.
The mounting research continually showing the benefits of cannabis render the government’s stance as laughable.
h/t [the anti-media]
