Traffic fatalities have dropped significantly in U.S. states where marijuana is legal
TruthOnPot.com – Are legal limits for marijuana necessary? Maybe not. Research out of the U.S. now shows that discouraging drivers from smoking pot may actually do more harm than good.
Published in the Journal of Law and Economics, the study found that states that legalized marijuana experienced a significant drop in fatal traffic accidents after laws were passed.
Daniel Rees, a University of Colorado economist and co-author of the new study, told the Boston Globe that providing marijuana as a legal alternative to alcohol may have had a role in saving lives. The drop in fatalities was more noticeable in one group known for drinking and driving: Young men between 20 to 40.
“The uncomfortable conclusion is that you’d rather have young adults smoking marijuana instead of drinking alcohol… But that’s where the logic takes us.”
Even when all groups were considered, states that passed marijuana laws still showed an 8 to 11 per cent drop in deaths within the following year. By the fourth year, the reduction in traffic fatalities reached 10 to 13 per cent.
But whether marijuana can actually impair driving is still up for debate. The authors of the latest study warn – while marijuana seems to make drivers more cautious – it may still alter other aspects of driving.
However, when it comes to alcohol verses marijuana, experts all agree on one important point: Alcohol is far more dangerous for drivers than pot.
The post Marijuana Saves Lives On Road, Study Finds appeared first on TruthOnPot.com.
