cannabisnews.com: Millions Have Driven on Drugs, U.S. Says





Millions Have Driven on Drugs, U.S. Says
Posted by CN Staff on September 16, 2003 at 13:17:53 PT
By Dee-Ann Durbin, Associated Press
Source: Associated Press 
Washington -- An estimated 11 million Americans, including nearly one in five 21-year-olds, have driven while under the influence of illegal drugs, the government says.The numbers announced Tuesday were especially high for college students. Eighteen percent of students surveyed said they drove while on drugs last year, compared with 14 percent of their peers who weren't in college.
John Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said the statistics show a failure to convince drivers that drugs impair driving as much as alcohol does. His office is kicking off an ad campaign to warn teens about driving while smoking marijuana."Marijuana is not the soft drug. Marijuana is not the casual rite of passage," Walters said at a news conference. "We have been sending the wrong message."Walters said marijuana can affect concentration, perception, coordination and reaction time for up to 24 hours after smoking it.Nineteen-year-old Theodore Stevens of New Jersey told reporters that he believed smoking pot and driving wasn't dangerous despite getting into four accidents in three years. He says he's lucky none of those incidents caused serious injuries."Sometimes I believed it increased my driving performance," said Stevens, who has been in drug treatment for four months after being charged with possession of marijuana, cocaine and heroin. Stevens began smoking pot when he was 14.The report, compiled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, used 2002 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The survey questioned 68,000 people. Researchers then extrapolated the percentages to the population as a whole. A federal statistician said the margin of error was plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.For 21-year-olds, the rate of those who reported driving under the influence of drugs was 18 percent, the highest of any age group. That dropped off to 14.5 percent for 22-year-olds. Unemployed adults age 26 to 49 also had a high frequency of driving while drugged - 9.3 percent, compared with 5.1 percent for drivers employed full time.Among racial or ethnic groups, American Indians reported the highest rate of driving while drugged, at 6.3 percent compared with 5 percent of whites, 4.5 percent of blacks, 3.7 percent of Hispanics, 3.1 percent of Pacific Islanders and 1.3 percent of Asians.Dr. Jeffrey Runge, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said there were approximately 38,000 crashes last year involving drivers impaired by marijuana. But Runge said he didn't know how many fatal accidents were caused by drugged drivers. State data collection is spotty, Runge said, and many drivers who are driving while drugged are also drinking."While we don't have fixed data, impairment is impairment," he said.Source: Associated Press Author: Dee-Ann Durbin, Associated PressPublished: September 16, 2003Copyright: 2003 Associated Press Related Articles:Alcohol Impairs Driving More than Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12299.shtmlNo Proof Cannabis Put Drivers At Risk http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6717.shtml
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Comment #11 posted by freedom fighter on September 17, 2003 at 00:38:10 PT
John,,
Good question... but then, did anyone ever really had to answer these questions??ahh, I know what! It's all a con... number game you know?And I have never met anyone who had to "answer".38,000? nah, let's make it 380 out of "MILLIONS" who drove on the street stoned and crashed because that sober drivers were'nt paying attention!ff
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Comment #10 posted by John Tyler on September 16, 2003 at 21:59:17 PT
Don't give the gov. any info you are not forced to
Why would anybody agree to take this stupid survey in the first place? It is just a way to try to get some numbers for a propaganda campaign for some more freedom restricting laws. Can you imagine someone saying "I'm from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, and I would like to ask you some questions about your illegal drug use." Why would anybody participate in such a thing? You don't give the government any information you are not forced to. 
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Comment #9 posted by b4daylight on September 16, 2003 at 19:24:58 PT
why not?
Why don't they curb driving? then we will not have to worry about impairment. It seems perfect sense to me. Maybe less jobs and money for the goverment. The government is so focused just on one issue they forget the big picture. The Government always sites things you cannot do while driving and must do, but never give an alternative. 
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on September 16, 2003 at 16:37:24 PT
This Is Crazy
I have never seen such desperation to control peoples lives as I see now. I'm glad my time on this earth won't be as long as what young people will have to endure. God help young folks. 
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Comment #7 posted by Dan B on September 16, 2003 at 16:25:13 PT
Impairment?
"While we don't have fixed data, impairment is impairment," he said.No it isn't. Impairment by way of alcohol causes significant loss of motor and cognitive functioning. Impairment by way of Sudafed causes one to fall asleep behind the wheel. Impairment by way of cannabis is, apparently, according to study after study on this issue, no real impairment at all.Dan B
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Comment #6 posted by Dan B on September 16, 2003 at 16:22:05 PT
Get Ready
The ONDCP is gearing up to push legislation through Congress like they did in Nevada--you know, the laws against driving while under the influence of cannabis. A barely detectable amount of cannabis, that is.That is what this article is about.This going to be a hell of a fight. If we play it right, we can win it. In fact, if we play it right we can turn back the rest of the cannabis laws, too.Dan B
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Comment #5 posted by firedog on September 16, 2003 at 15:08:12 PT
Mr. Walters is correct
"Marijuana is not the soft drug. Marijuana is not the casual rite of passage," Walters said at a news conference. "We have been sending the wrong message."Yes, I'll actually agree with Jonny Pee on this one. Marijuana is an herb, not a drug; it is not a rite of passage, but a useful tool throughout life, in sickness and in health; and yes, the ONDCP people certainly have been sending the wrong message all these years!
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Comment #4 posted by puff_tuff on September 16, 2003 at 15:06:33 PT
ONDCP Press Release
Tuesday September 16, 2003Recent Analysis Shows that One in Six High School Seniors Admitted Driving While HighDrug Czar, Secretary of Transportation, and Safe Driving Leaders Launch New Campaign to Urge Teens to 'Steer Clear of Pot' Press Release 
Office of National Drug Control Policyhttp://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030916/lntu013_1.html
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Comment #3 posted by observer on September 16, 2003 at 13:53:11 PT
Cannabis/Driving Studies
Australia: No Proof Cannabis Put Drivers At Risk (2001) http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1849/a09.htmlUK: Cannabis May Make You A Safer Driver (2000) http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1161/a02.html University Of Toronto Study Shows Marijuana Not A Factor In Driving Accidents (1999) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases\1999\03\990325110700.htm Australia: Cannabis Crash Risk Less: Study (1998) http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v98/n945/a08.html Australia: Study Goes to Pot (1998) http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v98/n947/a06.html 
Pot News Bot - http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pot
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Comment #2 posted by cloud7 on September 16, 2003 at 13:27:29 PT
where to start?
"Marijuana is not the soft drug. Marijuana is not the casual rite of passage," Walters said at a news conference. "We have been sending the wrong message."Hmmm? All Ive seen is eggs frying in pans, children on bikes getting run over, and friends shooting each other. Does this seem like theyve been portraying it as a casual rite of passage?" Stevens, who has been in drug treatment for four months after being charged with possession of marijuana, cocaine and heroin. "was it possible the marijuana was not the cause of his four accidents and a rampant drug problem was?"Dr. Jeffrey Runge, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said there were approximately 38,000 crashes last year involving drivers impaired by marijuana. "Ok, now most people will stop paying attention here and he basically says in the next line that this data is very questionable."But Runge said he didn't know how many fatal accidents were caused by drugged drivers. State data collection is spotty, Runge said, and many drivers who are driving while drugged are also drinking."Think about what this article really means though: Were winning and their issuing loud reports about one of peoples worst fears - driving under the influence - in the hopes of slowing our momentum. Good luck ONDCP! Prohibition WILL fall once again, right on your jobs and your LIES!
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on September 16, 2003 at 13:20:57 PT
What About Legal Mind Altering Drugs!
Legal prescription drugs can really make a person an unsafe driver. Why don't they care about that?
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