This one is for Emile - smoking pot more than doubles chance for accidents
- Thread starter epj3
- Start date
I think the article may be a push piece, since others reported the same study as follows:
Science/France: Largest study ever conducted on cannabis and driving found only low increased accident risk for cannabis
Drivers under the influence of cannabis are far less likely to be culpable in traffic accidents than drunk drivers. According to the newspaper "Libération" the results of an epidemiological study with approximately 8,000 accidents will be published in several weeks in the British Medical Journal.
Researchers at the French National Institute for Research on Transportation and Safety found that alcohol intoxication and speeding were nearly ten times more likely to be an attributing factor in traffic fatalities than the use of cannabis. Overall, researchers estimated that cannabis' psychomotor impairment was similar to that exhibited by drivers with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) ranging from 0.02 to 0.05 per cent. The relative risk for causing a fatal accident was 1.8-2.2 for cannabis, similar to that for alcohol below a BAC of 0.05. It was about 20 for alcohol above a BAC of 0.05 and speeding.
The study results have been provoking the greatest embarrassment among government officials since they always claimed that "drugs behind the wheel are responsible for more deaths than speeding." Under French law, drivers who test positive for even trace levels of THC in their blood face up to two years in prison.
http://bbsnews.net/article.php/20051016193637213
The statement that it doubles the risk of a crash seems to be based on the conclusion that 7% of the drivers in the crashes tested positive for cannibis, but the prevalence of cannabis in the French driving population is 2.9%.
The researchers found it was younger drivers, more often male and driving older cars, mopeds or motorcycles, who were most likely to have taken cannabis. A total of 681 drivers tested positive for cannabis (7% of all the drivers in the study), while 2096 drivers illegal concentrations of alcohol in their bodies (21.4%).
While cannabis is an illegal drug in France, and specific penalties exist for those who drive while under its influence, the prevalence of cannabis in the French driving population is 2.9%, similar to that for alcohol, at 2.7%.
The article also states that
Even after accounting for factors such as the age of the drivers and the condition of the vehicle, the researchers conclude that cannabis caused a significant number of the fatalities, with 2.5% of the crashes directly attributed to cannabis use. Alcohol was the direct cause of about 29%.
So, although 7% tested positive for cannabis, only 2.5% of the crashes were directly attributed to cannabis use. That is actually less than the prevalence of cannabis in the French driving population, stated to be 2.9%.
I wish the article was a bit more clear, because the numbers don't seem to add up.
Also, if alcohol was prevalent in 21.9% of the drivers, how is alcohol the direct cause of about 29% of the crashes?
Science/France: Largest study ever conducted on cannabis and driving found only low increased accident risk for cannabis
Drivers under the influence of cannabis are far less likely to be culpable in traffic accidents than drunk drivers. According to the newspaper "Libération" the results of an epidemiological study with approximately 8,000 accidents will be published in several weeks in the British Medical Journal.
Researchers at the French National Institute for Research on Transportation and Safety found that alcohol intoxication and speeding were nearly ten times more likely to be an attributing factor in traffic fatalities than the use of cannabis. Overall, researchers estimated that cannabis' psychomotor impairment was similar to that exhibited by drivers with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) ranging from 0.02 to 0.05 per cent. The relative risk for causing a fatal accident was 1.8-2.2 for cannabis, similar to that for alcohol below a BAC of 0.05. It was about 20 for alcohol above a BAC of 0.05 and speeding.
The study results have been provoking the greatest embarrassment among government officials since they always claimed that "drugs behind the wheel are responsible for more deaths than speeding." Under French law, drivers who test positive for even trace levels of THC in their blood face up to two years in prison.
http://bbsnews.net/article.php/20051016193637213
The statement that it doubles the risk of a crash seems to be based on the conclusion that 7% of the drivers in the crashes tested positive for cannibis, but the prevalence of cannabis in the French driving population is 2.9%.
The researchers found it was younger drivers, more often male and driving older cars, mopeds or motorcycles, who were most likely to have taken cannabis. A total of 681 drivers tested positive for cannabis (7% of all the drivers in the study), while 2096 drivers illegal concentrations of alcohol in their bodies (21.4%).
While cannabis is an illegal drug in France, and specific penalties exist for those who drive while under its influence, the prevalence of cannabis in the French driving population is 2.9%, similar to that for alcohol, at 2.7%.
The article also states that
Even after accounting for factors such as the age of the drivers and the condition of the vehicle, the researchers conclude that cannabis caused a significant number of the fatalities, with 2.5% of the crashes directly attributed to cannabis use. Alcohol was the direct cause of about 29%.
So, although 7% tested positive for cannabis, only 2.5% of the crashes were directly attributed to cannabis use. That is actually less than the prevalence of cannabis in the French driving population, stated to be 2.9%.
I wish the article was a bit more clear, because the numbers don't seem to add up.
Also, if alcohol was prevalent in 21.9% of the drivers, how is alcohol the direct cause of about 29% of the crashes?
You're right on it being a push article, as all studies done on issues such as incurable diseases, smoking, drinking, drug use etc.. have the goal to scare the population from these detrimental activities.
What you did forget, however, was that the study was out of about 10,800 fatal crashes total... if the drunk driver hits another sober driver's car that counts as 2 crashes. Luckily its only happened 7.1% of the time. That would be inflating the numbers. It could also mean 29% of fatalities. It's either of those or the online newswriters who are notoriously rushed and incompetent to a certain degree, messed up the numbers.
What you did forget, however, was that the study was out of about 10,800 fatal crashes total... if the drunk driver hits another sober driver's car that counts as 2 crashes. Luckily its only happened 7.1% of the time. That would be inflating the numbers. It could also mean 29% of fatalities. It's either of those or the online newswriters who are notoriously rushed and incompetent to a certain degree, messed up the numbers.
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///M SPEED said:
Well, you know what they say causes blindness?.....hehe ![[clap]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_clap.gif "Clap [clap]")
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car still in shop........they say they may have an issue.......pulease.....issues issues......
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