Crime

More Accidents with Drugged Drivers As Medical Marijuana Use Grows

More Accidents with Drugged Drivers As Medical Marijuana Use GrowsDeadly repercussions have continued to accompany growing medical marijuana use in California. The Los Angeles Times reports on statistics showing the surging number of car accidents involving high drivers over the last decade, which local law enforcement attribute to the growing number of medical marijuana users:

“The most recent assessment by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, based on random roadside checks, found that 16.3% of all drivers nationwide at night were on various legal and illegal impairing drugs, half them high on marijuana.

In California alone, nearly 1,000 deaths and injuries each year are blamed directly on drugged drivers, according to CHP data, and law enforcement puts much of the blame on the rapid growth of medical marijuana use in the last decade. Fatalities in crashes where drugs were the primary cause and alcohol was not involved jumped 55% over the 10 years ending in 2009.”

While President Obama has gone from a hands-off approach to now pushing federal prosecution of anyone in the business of growing or supplying marijuana for medical patients, the medical marijuana movement continues to pick speed as now one third of all states allow such sales. The growing legality of medical marijuana seems mind-boggling considering most states don’t even have a formal standard on the amount of the drug drivers should, if at all, be allowed to have in their blood.

“While 13 states have adopted zero-tolerance laws, 35 states including California have no formal standard, and instead rely on the judgment of police to determine impairment.

Even the most cautious approach of zero tolerance is fraught with complex medical issues about whether residual low levels of marijuana can impair a driver days after the drug is smoked. Marijuana advocates say some state and federal officials are trying to make it impossible for individuals to use marijuana and drive legally for days or weeks afterward.”

The call for a standardized system to judge impairment is debated by national leaders in law enforcement, as some feel the current system works well to identify impaired drivers, and any future legal limit or medical test would not bring about major change. However federal officials and local prosecutors argue that the lack of a standard makes convictions harder to obtain.

“In October, a San Diego jury acquitted Terry Barraclough, a 60-year-old technical writer and medical marijuana user, on manslaughter charges in a fatal crash that occurred shortly after he had smoked marijuana.

A blood test showed he had high levels of active marijuana ingredients in his blood, but the jury heard conflicting expert testimony from toxicologists about the possible effects.

Martin Doyle, the deputy district attorney who prosecuted Barraclough, said the acquittal showed that the lack of a formal legal limit on marijuana intoxication makes such prosecutions tough.”

Over 500,000 Americans currently use legal medical marijuana. Do you want to share the road with any of them?

Comments (229)

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  • Oregonpapa
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:53pm

    An alcoholic drives while under the influence of alcohol and runs into a van full of kids and kills them all. A stoner drives under the influence of pot … and misses his off ramp.

    Its time to end the drug war folk. Its time to realize that the drug war is a war against the American people. The drug war has eroded our economic rights through money laundering laws and the scrutiny of our doctors. Doctors are afraid of proscribing “too much pain medication,” and as a result, people in severe pain are denied relief-giving drugs.

    Who exactly benefits from keeping drugs illegal? First, its the drug dealers. By keeping drugs illegal, the dealers operate in the underground economy. They pay no taxes on their profits and because of the risk, they can charge high prices on thing that cost almost nothing to make. Second, the criminal justice system profits. The lawyers, judges and police make hay many times prosecuting minor drug offenders. There are over 800,000 arrests nationally just for marijuana possession. Here’s one for you: When Prop. 215 (medical marijuana) was on the ballot here in California, the largest lobbying group against it in terms of money spent, was the California Correctional Officers union. Why? Because their jobs depend upon people being throw in jail.

    Again, the drug war is a complete farce. Cigarettes take upward of 400,000 lives each year. Alcohol takes over 100,000 lives each year. There has never been a death attributed to an overdose of mari

    Report Post »  
    • bimzer
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 11:03pm

      better do some more research before you make blanket statements… you sound like a drinker talking about having a beer before going out to get some wings then having another beer and driving home…

      pot does change reflexes and perceptions and will be attributed to death in automobile accidents…don’t be narrow minded…

      Report Post »  
  • nptden
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:40pm

    Is there a smoking ban for MJ like for cigarettes? If not I wonder why? Stinks a helluva lot more than cigs.

    Report Post » nptden  
  • inferno
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:39pm

    I just had a great idea. California could balance it’s budget by setting up an agency to make stupid commercials about the dangers of pot, just as it did for cigaretts. On second thought , it would not help the budget defecit at all. It would mean spending even more money for stupid dope adds. However, it would add more people to the state payroll to bleed the taxpayers of even more revenue, that could be used by politicians to purchase more votes., which would lead to hiring more public employees with cushy retirement benefits. Maybe my original idea sucks.

    Report Post »  
  • Obominated
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:38pm

    Yes there should be strong punishment for anyone cought driving under the influence of anything that that places anyone in danger; however look into when and why the drug laws were made and whom by. Many of the laws were made for unethical reasons and should not exist.

    Report Post »  
  • booger71
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:24pm

    Read the story people, THC can stay in your bloodstream for up to 30 days, they want to bust people who may not have smoked a joint for a couple of weeks, but had THC in their blood.

    Report Post » booger71  
  • greytdoghome
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:16pm

    NO, I don’t want to share the road with them! I live in Delaware…our fantastic Legislators just legalized medical marijuana use! Hello…we can’t control the abuse of the stuff that was already legal (alcohol). I was hit by a drunk driver 2 years ago…it was his 3rd offense and he is still sitting in jail for it. He will get out and next time the person may not be as lucky as I was (neck/back damage, but I lived to tell about it).

    Report Post »  
  • chips1
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:16pm

    Hooka Tooka My Soda *******. (Chubby Checker)

    Report Post »  
  • Gypsy123
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:14pm

    Time for 3 strikes and you are out to hit again this is how the country collects money. But are we surprised. They won’t let you smoke a cigarette but you can smoke marijuana. They want you brain dead so they can control you surprised ?

    Report Post » Gypsy123  
    • bimzer
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 11:09pm

      drugs, and professional sports heros … dumb down the masses and give them meaningless things to occupy what is left of their minds…

      Report Post »  
  • ronmorgen
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:09pm

    Jenny Lind
    It might have been the stronger drugs like LSD that damaged them.

    Report Post » ronmorgen  
    • Caerus
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 1:24am

      Unlikely. Despite what people like to say about the 60s and 70s, LSD use was never very high. Higher than it is now, yes, but LSD use was never very widespread. It definitely has never been a competitor for cannabis when it comes to the number of users. Unless Jenny Lind happened to know a cluster of people who all used together, it is not probable that all of their failure friends used LSD.

      Report Post »  
  • Sparky101
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:09pm

    Well DUH. Why have you allowed your azzes to go faster than your brains?

    Report Post »  
  • ronmorgen
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:05pm

    Many people get in accidents after eating Hamburgers. Ban them.

    Report Post » ronmorgen  
  • chips1
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:04pm

    If they set up DUI check points on Nov 7th, BO will lose a lot of votes.

    Report Post »  
  • Jenny Lind
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:03pm

    I keep hearing the argument that weed doesn’t hurt anyone, well gang, if you were around in the 60‘s and 70’s like I was, you know how many got left behind with brains that were damaged, that never lived up to the potential they had. Granted they were hard core-and some went on to worse stuff, but I saw enough then to know it was very dangerous and it still is. Why on earth anyone would want more impaired drivers by legalizing it is beyond me. The ones using it for medical reasons have to be just as carefull as anyone using medications-but weed kind of takes inhibitions away and they seem to think they are perfectly okey dokey! They really were right about the egg and your brains on drugs.

    Report Post »  
  • Rayblue
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:55pm

    Most were probably hit from behind when driving too slow.
    Or waiting for the stop sign to turn green.
    No hope…..

    Report Post » Rayblue  
  • cheezwhiz
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:54pm

    In CA , cigarette smoke is dangerous
    and pot smoke is therapeutic

    Report Post » cheezwhiz  
  • Pigpen
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:53pm

    Marijuana is not bad for you! It is all just a lie put out by the Hearst Empire to save their timber mills! The real enemy is tobacco. Cigarettes kill! But MaryJane gives life (its a medecine you know!) Cigarettes are smoked by soldiers. Weed makes love, not war. Second hand smoke from cigarettes makes babies and puppies explode. But smoke from a joint makes smurfs pop up out of the ground…

    Report Post » Pigpen  
  • Darla_K
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:50pm

    I would think people that smoke medical marajuana would not want to drive due to their medical problems, and also putting other peoples lives at risk that are on the road. Take a cab or let someone else do the driving. Kick back and enjoy the ride.

    Report Post » Darla_K  
    • Weiners Wiener
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 10:48pm

      Easy solution — want a medical marijuana card? Give up your driver’s license.

      Report Post »  
    • bimzer
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 10:59pm

      people that are on or using drugs typically not making wise choices.. hence Drunk Drivers and work place accidents…

      limits need to be established… or a few thousand more folks will be killed by high drivers

      Report Post »  
    • flagkeeper
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 10:18am

      …assuming, of course, that the true purpose of consumption was medicinal in nature to begin with. Riiiiiiggggghhhht.

      Report Post » flagkeeper  
  • BuckleUpAmerica
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:46pm

    I learned it from watching you dad!…I learned it from watching you…

    Report Post » BuckleUpAmerica  
  • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:45pm

    Freedom isn’t free. It comes with sacrifices. We could end all highway deaths by banning all cars, but the regulatory and personal freedom toll that would take on our society would far outweigh the benefit from mass mobility.

    Likewise, the war on drugs has taken a huge regulatory and personal freedom toll on our society, one that far outweighs the loss of life of victims of a few irresponsible individuals.

    tl;dr: Don’t blame the drugs (inanimate objects). Blame the drug abusers (sovereign individuals with wills of their own).

    Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
    • richard bensen
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 10:51pm

      “Right on” now,anybody got a light?oops..now where are my keys?…dang,I forgot where I parked my truck…oops……

      Report Post » richard bensen  
    • shift
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:38am

      While I agree with your point about personal responsibility you made a huge error by stating that the only lives lost are a few irresponsible people, the fact is that those irresponsible people kill innocent people.

      Report Post » shift  
  • ladyda
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:44pm

    WHAT? You mean people high on pot get in auto accidents? What a surprise!!

    Report Post » ladyda  
  • aarondm
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:43pm

    This is because they law is not clear in California. Make it legal, as it has been shown to be much safer than alcohol.. then make driving while impared illegal.. Oh I forgot.. driving while impaired is already illegal, in every state including California.

    Or we could use the logic: “If we pass more laws against it, people already breaking laws will not break the new ones.” Driving while under the influence of anything including sleep deprivation is already against the law in California. Regardless several international studies have shown marijuana consumption and driving is not nearly as dangerous as alcohol.. but anyone with common sense should know its both illegal and stupid.

    The CHP would happily arrest people for having bad breath if given ample opportunity. Why anyone even considers their opinion is beyond me. Perhapse they have never lived in California or dealt with the A$$&@*(#) they call the CHP.

    Report Post »  
    • Afungi
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 1:16pm

      Well put! The justification of protection is flawed; for me, I am NOT my brothers’ keeper. The prohibition creates more dangerous behavior and cost to civility and society then effects of the drug. The huge tax free income to some of the most dangerous elements of society is a good example. Interestingly the two biggest groups that want the status quo are Christian conservatives (my brothers’ keepers) and drug dealers (for profit). The failure of field sobriety test recorded on dash camera in a reasonable society should get a conviction.

      Report Post »  
    • wetcloud
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 7:51pm

      Unless U Live under tyranny U can’t even imagine it. Lived in LA 10 yrs I get to vote AARONDM is right. Next.

      Report Post » wetcloud  
  • CanteenBoy
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:42pm

    I know there are very detailed statistics about how many traffic-related deaths alcohol causes but I have never seen any relating to marijuana… why?

    Report Post » CanteenBoy  
    • wildbill_b
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 1:26am

      Because they are unable to make any correlation between smoking and accidents. Smoke a joint today, 30 days from now although the effect is gone, you still test positive. They then proclaim it was “POT” that caused the accident.
      Well known facts.

      Report Post »  
    • buttondogart
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 11:14am

      Why? Because marijuana is a God given medicinal herb and does NOT cause accidents. People have been smoking it for hundreds of year and there has been NO record of accidents that were marijuana related. Anyone in an accident found with THC in their system will most likely have some MAN MADE substance in their system that’s really to blame. Alcohol is dangerous. To the body, to the families of alcoholics, to the driver behind the wheel of a car. Yet it’s still legal. And if drinking & driving is illegal, why do bars have parking lots???? People are completely blinded by the hypocritical propaganda put out about marijuana. It is NOT the monster it’s made out to be.

      Report Post »  
    • Cotswolds
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 11:20am

      @Buttondogart

      Here, here! The main reason marijuana is illegal is due to the liquor lobby in this country. The secondary reason, though it no longer really holds true, is that marijuana was more heavily consumed by minorities.

      Unfortunately, the sheep are quick to believe these kinds of stories which lack any real basis in fact and instead rely on anecdotal “evidence”.

      Report Post »  
  • vennoye
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:39pm

    Well Duh!! Who would have thought!! Fence off California!

    Report Post » vennoye  
    • turkey13
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:02pm

      I looked up the states after California went dumb and have a policy that I do not go across their borders. If everyone hits these states in the pocketbooks they will see the light.

      Report Post »  
  • Liberal Media Dropped Ball On Nine-Eleven
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:39pm

    Carcinogens found in Marijuana:

    Tetrahydro cannabinol,
    Ammonia,
    Hydrogen cyanide,
    Nitrogen oxides,
    Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon,
    Chromium,
    Nickel,
    Arsenic,
    Selenium,
    Anthrax.
    Pesticides.

    WOULD YOU SMOKE OR INGEST THESE POISONS ALONE? LET ALONE A PLANT THAT CONTAINS 430 KNOWN CARCINOGENS.

    As a recreational drug, marijuana Is really is bad for your health.

    Report Post » Liberal Media Dropped Ball On Nine-Eleven  
    • CanteenBoy
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:40pm

      How many in cigarettes, the Government’s preferred form of legal addiction?

      Report Post » CanteenBoy  
    • CanteenBoy
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:44pm

      Carcinogens, that is.

      I guess I could ask my neighbor, he speaks through a hole in his throat.

      Report Post » CanteenBoy  
    • DDD
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 11:07am

      Cigarettes aren’t “mood altering”, dummy.

      Report Post »  
    • Pattondog
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 1:10pm

      then why is it a a sedative?

      Report Post »  
    • SafeguardOurLiberty
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 11:57am

      Let’s see, I would rather someone be smoking a regular cigarette while driving, than a person smoking a maryjane, and not knowing if the light has turned green or red. Please, there is NO comparing when it comes to safety issues. Both are bad for health reasons, but only one is bad for safety reasons.

      Report Post » SafeguardOurLiberty  
    • DocTurtle
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 9:04am

      Back during the late 60′s, or perhaps it was the early 70′s (the old man’s memory fades over the years as to dates), the US Army did extensive research on the effects of marijuana… and the results weren’t as expected…

      Both users and non-users performed their duties with equal proficiency. The only noticeable difference between the two groups was the smoking group had better appetites.

      Having spent a great deal of my lifetime in the field of medicine, it literally amazes me how much false propaganda the government is allowed when “educating” Americans about the “evils” of pot smoking… Your brain will end up looking like a fried egg… Marijuana use will make a man’s breast grow larger… Pot is addictive… and the list of government falsehoods goes on and on.

      The agenda for one of my medical certificates included a drug abuse course. I’ve always been the type of person to ask questions. One of my questions to the course’s instructor was, which is more harmful, a mixed drink or a joint? Without hesitation the doctor replied that the alcohol was more of a health risk.

      If our government was really sincere about saving lives, they’d criminalize alcohol consumption with much harsher penalties than smoking marijuana. Obviously they aren’t as sincere as they profess themselves to be. And why not? Follow the money trail…

      Report Post » DocTurtle  
    • burnteye86
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 9:31am

      Yeah, I know people who have been smoking pot for 40 years and I’m just waiting on one of them to just drop over dead. Then I can say “SEE”!!!

      Report Post » burnteye86  
    • Lonescrapper
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 10:51am

      Because everyone knows that smoking is so much worse… even though it’s legal. For the life of me I don’t understand why tobacco is the evil incarnate, foul and horror of lefties, but marijuana should be legal and used often…

      Report Post » Lonescrapper  
    • Tattarax
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 12:18pm

      THC isn’t carcinogenic! In fact, THC has been shown to reduce the effects of the other chemicals that are carcinogenic. http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20051017/pot-smoke-less-carcinogenic-than-tobacco

      The simple fact is that yes, it’s not good for you to ingest burning plant material into your lungs, be it burning marijuana, tobacco or any other plant one might choose to smoke. But you have to remember, marijuana doesn’t have to be smoked! In fact, oral ingestion of marijuana, if done properly, is a far more efficient method. When one burns marijuana, around 95% of all the THC and other secondary cannabinoids are destroyed by the fire before they have a chance to be inhaled.

      When one properly cooks marijuana, the opposite occurs. Only a few percentage points of the cannabinoids are destroyed and around 95% get ingested. Which means that you can eat some marijuana on say a monday, get pulled over on a friday, and still have as many cannabiniod metabolites in your system as someone who had a few joint hits a couple hours ago.

      The real failure here is the thought that marijuana use can be completed eliminated. It needs to be regulated and taxed like we do with tobacco and alcohol. The “Marijuana Genie”, for a lack of a better term, has been let out of the bottle, and we’ll never get him back in.

      Report Post » Tattarax  
    • Innvertigo
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 12:23pm

      @Tattarax STOP IT WITH THE FACTS!!! IT”S ILLEGAL!! :)

      Report Post » Innvertigo  
    • mangus2
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 12:37pm

      Wow, I hope your post is done tongue in cheek, because if it isn’t that is the most blatant example of trying to propagate a lie that I have encountered in a long time. I have cancer, grow and use my own according to my state regulations, I don’t drive under the influence, and I know exactly what is in the marijuana I use. To claim that there are things like pesticides, anthrax and the like is something only an uninformed neanderthal would say. To all the people reading this, what has been posted about carcinogens in marijuana is a lie, and in fact some of the things listed as carcinogens are ont, in fact listed as carcinogens.

      Report Post »  
    • cgrim11
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 1:03pm

      Liberal Media Dropped Ball On Nine-Eleven…

      Why on earth would you put all that on your pot? Are ya crazy??
      I am sure there are tests that could show alcohol consumption @ periods greater that 3 hours too.
      Driving under the influence is not an option. Cops need to take a quality photo, and check for “chinese eyes”. you can’t hide them!!

      Report Post »  
    • kenXIII
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 1:52pm

      your right so lets ban it because the gov knows best oh and lest ban your alcohol and tobacco because they are bad too and since you want the gov to ban whats bad for you say good bye to deep fried foods and raw meats. you must love to be regulated

      Report Post » kenXIII  
    • FlamingFartSyndrome
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 6:02pm

      Your full of shiit marijuana contains no such poisons tabacoo is worst for your health why do conservatives fight for a small government but when a girl wants an abortion or gays want to get married or someone wants to smoke pot all of the sudden government should be involved don’t make up lies in order to push your opinion that conservative media outlets put in your head do some honest research and if your going to complain about side effects which marijuana has that help cancer, AIDS, Hiv patients eat food, create white blood cells, etc and attack the pharmaceutical companies that have actual bad side effects for drugs that would be unneeded if marijuana was legal. Wake up sheeple!

      Report Post » FlamingFartSyndrome  
    • jettson
      Posted on July 5, 2011 at 8:03am

      Have another martini. We know whats in that

      Report Post » jettson  
    • ax255
      Posted on July 5, 2011 at 2:04pm

      Wow stupid sh*t…really….Anthrax?

      I am sorry, but you guys really just do not understand.
      First the article says half of the 16.7% of accidents are caused by drivers whom are high….HALF are considered to be high on weed. NO where else in the article does it give any kind of number to reference the point of the article. It means almost nothing…

      In a lot of places in the world marijuana (because it sounds worse) is being tested to actually stop, prevent, and kill caner cells and tumors…in the 20 most deadly forms of cancer.

      Sorry, but you are totally, and completely wrong.
      No doubt there are a lot of people who can not handle it, but to make a cliche and I’m sure an annoying argument to you-lots of people can not handle anything from fast food to caffeine to WAR.
      I have smoked everyday since 2006…please for the sake of humanities progression do not be stupid, do not always believe what you read…education and experimentation are your friends…

      Report Post »  
    • Tyler520
      Posted on July 5, 2011 at 3:40pm

      There is a reason that pro-marijuana advocates vehemently oppose distilling THC as a supplement.

      There is a reason that pro-abortion advocates vehemently oppose taxation (often after hypocritically using taxation as an argument in favor of legalization.

      “Any means to an end”…and that “end” is simply to get high.

      Report Post »  
  • the hawk
    Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:31pm

    Charge Them with DUI , FINES & JAIL TIME ! NEXT!

    Report Post »  
    • HappyStretchedThin
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:38pm

      It’s no use Hawk, the puffing crowd will never admit the whole marijuana thing just isn’t innocuous, and that there’s no such thing as “I’m only hurting myself”.

      Report Post » HappyStretchedThin  
    • American Soldier (Separated)
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 1:15pm

      Then why not ban alcohol again? It’s more harmful then Marijuana BY A LONG SHOT! 1000 deaths a year from Drug driving? I’ll take that over how many deaths in alcohol related incidences? Still won’t ban alcohol, will you? Thought so….

      Anyone that caused property damage, personal injury or death of others should and will be convicted of that crime. They will serve their time and pay the price for their personal choices. Whether you were sober, drunk or high when you committed those crimes, what’s the difference?

      I drink all the time, I’m responsible to not drink and drive. If I wasn’t, and I hurt someone, I go to jail. Or I get sued to poverty.

      Either legalize drugs, even the hard stuff, or ban cigarettes and alcohol. Zero tolerance. Let’s see how that goes!

      Report Post » American Soldier (Separated)  
    • kenXIII
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 1:48pm

      yes you are so right! so lets ban alcohol and tobacco to and deep fried food as well

      Report Post » kenXIII  
    • shift
      Posted on July 7, 2011 at 10:31am

      Well I guess we should just go back to the prohibition days and make everything illegal including alcohol since the same holds true with your reasoning.

      Report Post » shift  
    • LaidBackTaps
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 8:40pm

      Hey! Like BOOZE… Regulate! Itshould be the Right to CHOOSE what you do. Consequences will follow though if your outta line. I got no problem with smoking a joint when your home, out back after work and you aint goin to hurt anyone.

      Report Post » LaidBackTaps  
    • Baron_Doom
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 10:06am

      Short-term effects of marijuana include:

      Distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch)
      Problems with memory and learning
      Loss of coordination
      Trouble with thinking and problem-solving
      Increased heart rate, reduced blood pressure

      Marijuana use can also produce anxiety, fear, distrust, or panic. These are just the short-term effects, mind you. I don’t think anyone should be working while this drug is in their system.

      Report Post » Baron_Doom  
    • A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:09pm

      Enforce each individual’s right to life and property, and people will do what it takes to pay attention while driving so they don’t hurt anyone.

      But infringing on their right to drug their own bodies is unConstitutional.

      Report Post »  
    • rikyt74
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:17pm

      Did accidents for people on prescription drugs go down? Should have! The same people that are using medical marijuana were using some type of pain drug like Oxycontin and list of other drugs more powerful than marijuana.

      Report Post » rikyt74  
    • TheCenturion
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 9:42pm

      Yeah, people who can’t handle their…… pot, shouldn’t smoke and drive.

      It’s time for Kalifornia to GROW UP.

      Report Post »  
    • JRook
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 10:27pm

      The weakness in this report in terms of use of statistics and inference derived from the misrepresentation is amazing. Drugs is a pretty broad term. Please provide the totals for fatalities where alcohol is the primary cause so as to provide a reference point. I’m thinking it would be on the order of a factor of 10 or more.

      Report Post »  
    • Cause4Liberty
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 10:48pm

      It is no worse than it was in the 60s and 70s. This story is a load of crap, due to the fact that statistical polls can have an agenda. They can manipulate and promote biased information. Im sure, 99% of people, would call an agenda promoting biased information, propaganda. Its a two way street. Prohibition of marijuana is a failure and it comes at the expense of many lives including our police. Many lives have been ruined over simple possession charges which could, for some, evolve into a life of crime. It enriches the cartel, it enriches low-life dealers, and it can involve violence when purchasing on the streets. The American people are going to do what they want regardless if Big brother approves or not. Heck, GLENN BECK SMOKED MARY J everyday for 15 years! The real reason why marijuana isn’t legal is because big brother makes more money for the judical system and local/state/federal police. If it were to become legal, it would create a small business boom, the taxation/regulation would generate government revenue. The people partaking in marijuana consumption could purchase safely from a local business/grower. Which business with regualtions could then produce a product which drastically decreases all the harmful toxins. A pure and natural plant that can be used as the tree of life. It could be used to create products such as paper, clothes, fabric, food, rope, lotion, and a intoxicant. To each is own and in America we promote FREEDOM.

      Report Post » Cause4Liberty  
    • Falsegods
      Posted on July 3, 2011 at 11:26pm

      Soros would just love to legalize drugs, and have everyone too drugged up to know up from down.
      Not to mention how happy the NWO would be that the population would be killing each other and themselves.

      Report Post »  
    • banjarmon
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 12:03am

      Weed out the pot heads.

      Report Post » banjarmon  
    • ILUVJESUS
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 2:02am

      You are so right. I heard some fool kid on TV say that pot is ok because you don’t hear of any DUIs from it. Well, DUI is currently for drunk driving. Include drugged driving and you will see that drugged drivers are worse than drunks!

      Report Post » ILUVJESUS  
    • Professional Infidel
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 8:25am

      just as in all things, it’s the weak ones the make us all have to jump thru hoops cause of them. I won’t be judged by them or proxie.

      Report Post »  
    • drattastic
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 10:26am

      My experience with pot heads (extensive) and lets not kid ourselves ,medical pot is a sham from the “patient” to the doctor to the dealer it’s about getting high ,period. I don’t really care what people do to themselves but when it gets other people hurt or killed something has to be done.
      A pothead’s objective is to wake up get high and stay high all day unless they are out then they are looking for it, so worrying about residual effects is a joke.Hey Stoner stay out of your car .

      Report Post » drattastic  
    • Force2bewreckin
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 5:48pm

      I call BS! I don’t smoke but I do know that marijuana stays in a persons system for 30 days or more. Just because you have it in your system doesn’t mean you are being effected by the active chemicals. If alcohol stayed in you system for 30 days 70% of all traffic accidents would be alcohol related. This is more propaganda from the synthetics and lumber corporations to jeep their interests safe while keeping us all in danger. Based on the statistics you have a greater chance of being caught up in violence created by the drug trade than getting in an auto accident from someone smoking marijuana. Wake up! It is just like the odds of you getting hurt in a terrorist attack are greater that you getting struck by lightning and winning the lotto on the same day. That dOesnt stop the man fromstompng on your freedom. Time to wake up America. The boogieman is the wizard behind the curtain.

      Report Post »  
    • garylee123
      Posted on July 4, 2011 at 6:41pm

      This is kind of a false story. They mix Ca statistics with nationwide ones. Legal drugs with illegal. Then divide in half but don’t give a number. And, stop the numbers at 2009. DUI’s in Ca has been dropping for years with the highest group of offenders being Hispanics. Basically, if you‘re to stupid to know when you can’t drive you’re going to get caught.
      http://www.adp.ca.gov/factsheets/drivingundertheinfluencestatistics.pd

      Report Post »  
    • nysparkie
      Posted on July 5, 2011 at 10:53am

      It will always come down to the “RESULTS OF UNINTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCES”.

      Report Post » nysparkie  
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