Pubdate: Sun, 08 Jul 2018
Source: Salem News (MA)
Copyright: 2018 Eagle Tribune Publishing Company
Contact: http://www.salemnews.com/contactus/local_story_015132129.html
Website: http://www.salemnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3466
Author: Steven S. Epstein

MARIJUANA NO BARRIER TO SAFE DRIVING

To the editor:

Your June 28 editorial, "Marijuana-impaired drivers a growing danger,"
lacks a rational basis for crying wolf. In fact, marijuana
consumption's negligible impact on driving ability pales next to
alcohol and distraction by smartphone use.

While no one expects an editorial board to research extensively law
enforcement claims on this subject, as a reader I do expect you to do
some research in the scientific journals and not popular press.

Had you done so, you would have found the growing consensus that the
motor vehicle accident odds ratio following marijuana consumption and
driving is an order of magnitude smaller than a blood alcohol level
over .05.

When the data is controlled for alcohol consumption, age and gender,
your "stoned" driver is no more likely to be in an accident or at
fault for one than a perfectly sober and ordinarily attentive driver.

Novice drivers and males are more at risk of being impaired by
marijuana consumption. However, as co-counsel and I argued in our
amicus brief in the Supreme Judicial Court case you refer to, justice
requires using the driving negligently law based upon observed bad
driving.

Steven Epstein

Georgetown
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MAP posted-by: Matt