Before Canada legalizes the use of recreational marijuana next spring, the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) wants the government to warn people about the dangers of driving after using pot. This will likely rekindle the debate over whether using marijuana really does increase the likelihood of having an accident.
The association, which provides roadside assistance and other services to members, commissioned a public opinion survey and found that almost two thirds of respondents were concerned there will be more danger on the roads after pot is legalized, reports Canadian Press.
Dangerous or not?
The CAA cites a 2012 study that found acute consumption of cannabis nearly doubles the risk of an accident causing serious injury or death. However, a study from the U.S. and another large one from European countries found the risk of a traffic accident from marijuana impairment was not statistically significant.
Canadian Press reports that a sample of drivers in the western province of British Columbia in 2013 found that 5.5 per cent tested positive for cannabis. It adds that Health Canada reported in 2012 that 2.6 per cent of drivers in Canada reported driving within two hours of using cannabis at least once in the previous year.
The CAA wants the government to pay for a public education program to warn the public about the dangers of cannabis-impaired driving and to pay for more training for police.
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