Analysis: Changes in Marijuana Laws Not Associated with Increased Traffic Fatalities
Lakeland, FL: Neither the enactment of medical cannabis access laws or adult-use legalization laws are associated with any significant upticks in motor vehicle traffic fatalities, according to data published in the journal The Review of Regional Studies.
A team of researchers affiliated with Florida Polytechnic University examined the relationship between traffic fatalities and statewide policies legalizing marijuana access over a 35-year period (1985 to 2019).
Researchers identified no significant changes in trends in fatal motor vehicle crashes following the enactment of adult-use marijuana laws, and they reported a decrease in fatal traffic accidents following the passage of statewide medical cannabis access laws.
Authors wrote: "We find lower state traffic fatalities following the implementation of MMLs [medical marijuana laws], consistent with earlier work. This is true whether we employ a simple MML indicator or a continuous indicator of the permissiveness of state medical marijuana laws. ... Controlling for prior MMLs, we find no evidence of a statistically significant association between RMLs [recreational marijuana laws] and traffic fatalities. Further, we find no evidence of an association between traffic fatalities and cross-border recreational legalization."
They concluded, "Liberalization [of marijuana policies] may eventually be shown to lead to more fatalities, at least under some sets of circumstances, as more and different states legalize recreational use and more data accrues. However, as of 2019, we find liberalization has been associated with lower traffic fatalities, not higher."
Previous analyses have consistently reported no changes in traffic safety following the enactment of medical cannabis liberalization laws. Data trends have been less consistent following the imposition of statewide adult-use legalization laws, with some jurisdictions showing minor changes over time and others showing no changes.
Full text of the study, "State marijuana laws and traffic fatalities," appears in The Review of Regional Studies.
Study: Use of CBD-Dominant Cannabis Associated with Reduced Prescription Drug Use Among Some Older Adults
Toronto, Canada: Between 20 percent and one-third of older adults who consume CBD-dominant cannabis products for medical purposes reduce their use of prescription opioids and benzodiazepines, according to data published in the journal Drugs & Aging.
A team of Canadian researchers assessed marijuana consumption patterns in a cohort of nearly 10,000 patients ages 65 and older over a six-year period. All of the study's subjects possessed a valid prescription from a Canadian doctor to access medical cannabis products at a licensed retail dispensary. Medical marijuana products have been legal in Canada by prescription for several decades.
Subjects consumed either herbal cannabis flowers or oil extracts - with the majority of participants consuming extracts. Most subjects consumed products containing high percentages of CBD.
Consistent with prior studies, a portion of patients reported reducing their use of prescription medications following their initiation of cannabis products. Specifically, researchers reported that 36 percent of respondents decreased their use of opioids, while 20 percent reduced their use of benzodiazepines.
Also similar to other studies, subjects frequently reported that the use of medical cannabis products was associated with reduced pain, better sleep, and improvements in mood.
In recent years, self-reported marijuana use by seniors has increased dramatically in both the United States and Canada. Several surveys report that seniors' use of cannabis products is associated with improvements in their overall quality of life.
Full text of the study, "Medical use among older adults in Canada: Self-reported data on types and amount used, and perceived effects," appears in Drugs & Aging.
Pennsylvania: Supreme Court Rules Marijuana Odor Is Insufficient Grounds for a Warrantless Search
Harrisburg, PA: Police officers may not engage in the warrantless search of a vehicle based solely upon the smell of marijuana, according to a determination by the state's Supreme Court.
The majority ruled that law enforcement cannot infer criminal activity from the odor of marijuana because medical cannabis can legally be possessed by authorized patients under state law.
"We conclude that the MMA [Medical Marijuana Act] makes abundantly clear that marijuana no longer is per se illegal in this Commonwealth," the majority opined. "Accordingly, the enactment of the MMA eliminated this main pillar supporting the 'plain smell' doctrine as applied to the possession or use of marijuana. Indeed, so long as a patient complies with the dictates of the MMA, that person can legally possess and consume various forms of medical marijuana, including the plant itself. Accordingly, the smell of marijuana alone cannot create probable cause to justify a search under the state and federal constitutions."
The court concluded, "We hold that the odor of marijuana alone does not amount to probable cause to conduct a warrantless search of a vehicle but, rather, may be considered as a factor in examining the totality of the circumstances."
A growing number of states, including Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, similarly limit police from conducting either warrantless searches or arrests based solely upon the odor of cannabis.
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