Where Pot Became Legal, Car Crash Deaths Rose: Study

US News By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter July 19, 2022 TUESDAY, July 19, 2022 (HealthDay News) - - Car crashes and deaths are on the rise in U.S. states that have legalized recreational marijuana, a new study finds. "Marijuana, like alcohol and just about every other drug, changes how you feel and how you behave. That’s the purpose of a drug. And that changes how you drive. We all need to realize that driving after using marijuana is a bad idea," said lead researcher Charles Farmer, vice president for research and statistical services at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. His team found that after marijuana legalization, the rate of car crashes with injuries increased by nearly 6%, while fatal crashes rose by 4%. No increase in these crashes was seen in states that hadn't legalized marijuana, the researchers noted. These results are consistent with prior studies, Farmer said. "It’s becoming more and more clear that the legalization of marijuana doesn’t come without cost. But marijuana legalization is still a novelty, and there’s hope that these early trends can be turned around," he added.

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