Seattle, WA: The legalization of marijuana in Washington state is not associated with any uptick in the percentage of young people driving under the influence of either cannabis or alcohol, according to data published in the journal Prevention Science.
A team of researchers with the University of Washington assessed DUI trends among young adults immediately prior to the adoption of adult-use sales and for the next five years.
Following legalization, fewer young people engaged in DUI alcohol. Among young people who used cannabis, fewer acknowledged driving under its influence.
“[These] trends may reflect some success in reducing DUI, but additional detection and prevention efforts are needed,” the study’s authors concluded.
The findings are similar to those of a 2022 study concluding, “The risk of self-reported DUIC [driving under the influence of cannabis] is lower in recreational and medical cannabis states compared to states without legal cannabis.”
Full text of the study, “Young adult alcohol and cannabis impaired driving after the opening of cannabis retail stores in Washington state,” appears in Prevention Medicine. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Marijuana and Psychomotor Performance.’