NOT SO HARMLESS: Weed legalization more dangerous for road safety than previously believed.
Marijuana, the THC-containing part of the cannabis plant, impairs driving performance by diminishing motor coordination, multitasking abilities, reaction time and distance perception, according to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board.
Impairment also lasts up to five times longer than alcohol intoxication, which usually wears off within eight hours.
But few Americans know about these dangerous effects or how long they persist, posing serious road safety concerns as drugged driving becomes more common.
In a March study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, found roughly 85% of 2,000 cannabis users reported driving the same day they use the drug. Only 19% thought their driving became worse after cannabis use and 34% believed they drove better after use.
To be fair, smoking the stuff never made anybody any smarter.