Report: Marijuana’s impact on Colorado

[Revmitchell]

Section 1 – Impaired Driving:

• Traffic fatalities involving operators testing positive for marijuana have increased 100 percent from 2007 to 2012.
• The majority of driving-under-the-influence-of-drugs arrests involve marijuana and 25 to 40 percent were marijuana alone.
• Toxicology reports with positive marijuana results for driving under the influence have increased 16 percent from 2011 to 2013.

Section 2 – Youth Marijuana Use:

• In 2012, 10.47 percent of youth ages 12 to 17 were considered current marijuana users compared to 7.55 percent nationally. Colorado, ranked 4th in the nation, was 39 percent higher than the national average.
• Drug-related suspensions/expulsions increased 32 percent from school years 2008/2009 through 2012/2013. The vast majority were for marijuana violations.

Section 3 – Adult Marijuana Use:

• In 2012, 26.81 percent of college age students (ages 18 – 25 years) were considered current marijuana users compared to 18.89 percent nationally. Colorado, ranked 3rd in the nation, was 42 percent higher than the national average.
• In 2012, 7.63 percent of adults ages 26 and over were considered current marijuana users compared to 5.05 percent nationally. Colorado, ranked 7th in the nation, was 51 percent higher than the national average.
• In 2013, 48.4 percent of Denver adult arrestees tested positive for marijuana which is a 16 percent increase from 2008.

Section 4 – Emergency Room Marijuana Admissions:

• From 2011 through 2013, there was a 57 percent increase in marijuana-related emergency room visits.
• Hospitalizations related to marijuana have increased 82 percent from 2008 to 2013.
• In 2012, the City of Denver rate for marijuana-related emergency visits was 45 percent higher than the rate in Colorado.


http://www.learnaboutsam.org/report-marijuanas-impact-colorado/

 

[poncho]

Since Colorado voters legalized pot in 2012, prohibition supporters have warned that recreational marijuana will lead to a scourge of “drugged divers” on the state’s roads. They often point out that when the state legalized medical marijuana in 2001, there was a surge in drivers found to have smoked pot. They also point to studies showing that in other states that have legalized pot for medical purposes, we’ve seen an increase in the number of drivers testing positive for the drug who were involved in fatal car accidents. The anti-pot group SAM recently pointed out that even before the first legal pot store opened in Washington state, the number of drivers in that state testing positive for pot jumped by a third.

The problem with these criticisms is that we can test only for the presence of marijuana metabolites, not for inebriation. Metabolites can linger in the body for days after the drug’s effects wear off — sometimes even for weeks. Because we all metabolize drugs differently (and at different times and under different conditions), all that a positive test tells us is that the driver has smoked pot at some point in the past few days or weeks.

It makes sense that loosening restrictions on pot would result in a higher percentage of drivers involved in fatal traffic accidents having smoked the drug at some point over the past few days or weeks. You’d also expect to find that a higher percentage of churchgoers, good Samaritans and soup kitchen volunteers would have pot in their system. You’d expect a similar result among any large sampling of people. This doesn’t necessarily mean that marijuana caused or was even a contributing factor to accidents, traffic violations or fatalities.

This isn’t an argument that pot wasn’t a factor in at least some of those accidents, either. But that’s precisely the point. A post-accident test for marijuana metabolites doesn’t tell us much at all about whether pot contributed to the accident.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/08/05/since-marijuana-legalization-highway-fatalities-in-colorado-are-at-near-historic-lows/

Hmmm. It seems your "report" starts out by presenting a false presumption. Kind of makes one wonder about the credibility and accuracy of the rest of the "report" doesn't it?

 

[matt wade]

Thanks for the article Poncho...good info! :thumbsup:

 

[Gina B]

It's not mentioned that the new law lowers the blood level used to define impairment or the increased testing of drivers.
While it's logical to believe problems have increased, it seems dishonest to change what defines impairment and then claim the new higher numbers of people considered impaired are the direct result of legalization.

 

[carpro]

Section 1 – Impaired Driving:

• Traffic fatalities involving operators testing positive for marijuana have increased 100 percent from 2007 to 2012.
• The majority of driving-under-the-influence-of-drugs arrests involve marijuana and 25 to 40 percent were marijuana alone.
• Toxicology reports with positive marijuana results for driving under the influence have increased 16 percent from 2011 to 2013.

Section 2 – Youth Marijuana Use:

• In 2012, 10.47 percent of youth ages 12 to 17 were considered current marijuana users compared to 7.55 percent nationally. Colorado, ranked 4th in the nation, was 39 percent higher than the national average.
• Drug-related suspensions/expulsions increased 32 percent from school years 2008/2009 through 2012/2013. The vast majority were for marijuana violations.

Section 3 – Adult Marijuana Use:

• In 2012, 26.81 percent of college age students (ages 18 – 25 years) were considered current marijuana users compared to 18.89 percent nationally. Colorado, ranked 3rd in the nation, was 42 percent higher than the national average.
• In 2012, 7.63 percent of adults ages 26 and over were considered current marijuana users compared to 5.05 percent nationally. Colorado, ranked 7th in the nation, was 51 percent higher than the national average.
• In 2013, 48.4 percent of Denver adult arrestees tested positive for marijuana which is a 16 percent increase from 2008.

Section 4 – Emergency Room Marijuana Admissions:

• From 2011 through 2013, there was a 57 percent increase in marijuana-related emergency room visits.
• Hospitalizations related to marijuana have increased 82 percent from 2008 to 2013.
• In 2012, the City of Denver rate for marijuana-related emergency visits was 45 percent higher than the rate in Colorado.


http://www.learnaboutsam.org/report-marijuanas-impact-colorado/

Potheads unite!

Discredit this report.

 

[matt wade]

Why don't so called conservatives that are so against marijuana, unite against the far greater problem alcohol?

 

[poncho]

The report discredited itself by beginning with a false presumption. :smilewinkgrin:

 

[righteousdude2]

Seems to me ...

.... that we should be concerned about Colorados pot laws creeping over into neighboring states.

 

[carpro]

The report discredited itself by beginning with a false presumption. :smilewinkgrin:

There you go. The potheads have spoken. This discussion is over.:thumbs:

 

[TCassidy]

As far as traffic accidents go, Art Way, senior drug policy manager for the Colorado chapter of the Drug Policy Alliance, pointed out that on St. Patrick’s Day weekend in March, law enforcement ramped up efforts to curb driving under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana. While many may have expected more drivers to be high than drunk, Colorado police reported 450 drivers were under the influence of alcohol, compared to three who were under the influence of marijuana. He said similar figures are expected for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend.

 

[matt wade]

As far as traffic accidents go, Art Way, senior drug policy manager for the Colorado chapter of the Drug Policy Alliance, pointed out that on St. Patrick’s Day weekend in March, law enforcement ramped up efforts to curb driving under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana. While many may have expected more drivers to be high than drunk, Colorado police reported 450 drivers were under the influence of alcohol, compared to three who were under the influence of marijuana. He said similar figures are expected for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Don't confuse them with facts!

 

[TCassidy]

Don't confuse them with facts!

Not to mention he doesn't seem aware of the fact that his "evidence" is dated 2012 and the law didn't change until 1/1/2014. Duh!

 

[InTheLight]

As far as traffic accidents go, Art Way, senior drug policy manager for the Colorado chapter of the Drug Policy Alliance, pointed out that on St. Patrick’s Day weekend in March, law enforcement ramped up efforts to curb driving under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana. While many may have expected more drivers to be high than drunk, Colorado police reported 450 drivers were under the influence of alcohol, compared to three who were under the influence of marijuana. He said similar figures are expected for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend.

St. Patrick's Day is a traditional drinking day. Of course there will be many more people arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. Plus it is easier to test a driver for a DUI alcohol than for pot. I predict that in 10 years the gap will have significantly narrowed.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

Has any of you ever wondered why there is no way to tell if a person has smoked pot, or not ?

 

[InTheLight]

Has any of you ever wondered why there is no way to tell if a person has smoked pot, or not ?

It requires a blood test. That is not easily done by police in the field.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

I mean, why can't a cop tell if you're under the effect of marijuana ? If marijuana is this powerful drug that does horrible things to your brain, why can't they come up with co-ordination tests, dexterity tests, or some method to show a jury that you are indeed impaired ?

 

[Revmitchell]

I mean, why can't a cop tell if you're under the effect of marijuana ? If marijuana is this powerful drug that does horrible things to your brain, why can't they come up with co-ordination tests, dexterity tests, or some method to show a jury that you are indeed impaired ?

They can. It is the same Feild Sobriety Test as anything else. Also, readic driving is a key factor. The smell of either alcohol or pot can also be used a probable cause.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

You could not possibly smoke enough pot to fail a field sobriety test designed for drunk drivers. Marijuana does not effect your motor skills in that way.

 

[Revmitchell]

You could not possibly smoke enough pot to fail a field sobriety test designed for drunk drivers. Marijuana does not effect your motor skills in that way.

It did mine when I used it. There were several times I should not have been driving.

However, don't take my word for it:

In the short-term, marijuana can cause:

problems with learning and memory
distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch)
poor motor coordination
increased heart rate.
But marijuana affects each person differently according to:

biology (e.g., his or her genes)

marijuana's strength or potency (how much THC it has)
previous experience with the drug
how it's taken (smoked versus ingested)
whether alcohol or other drugs are involved


How is marijuana likely to affect you?

Learning: Marijuana’s effects on attention and memory make it difficult to learn something new or do complex tasks that require focus and concentration.

Sports: Marijuana affects timing, movement, and coordination, which can harm athletic performance.

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publicatio...s/want-to-know-more-some-faqs-about-marijuana

 

[Bro. Curtis]

Citing a government website ?

Please.

Ok, so I rephrase that. You are the only person I know who has smoked enough pot to fail a field sobriety road test designed for drunk drivers. Allegedly.