Research Ties Marijuana Legalization to Car Accidents, Injuries

THE LEGALIZATION OF recreational marijuana is associated with a rise of injuries, substance abuse and car accidents, according to new research.

A study published Wednesday in the journal BMJ Open found that Colorado hospital admissions for cannabis abuse increased after the drug was legalized in the state.

Researchers found that car accidents in Colorado increased 10% after legalization, and increases in alcohol abuse and overdoses that resulted in injury or death increased by 5%.

While abuse and injury increased, there were fewer diagnoses of chronic pain, supporting existing evidence that the drug can alleviate it. The study revealed that Colorado experienced a 5% decrease in hospital admissions for the condition.

Researchers from the University of California—San Francisco reviewed more than 28 million hospital records from Colorado, New York and Oklahoma from 2010 to 2014.

In 2000, cannabis became legal for medicinal use in Colorado. In 2012, it was legalized for recreational use in the state. Marijuana is legal for medical use and decriminalized in New York, and in Oklahoma, it is only legal for medical use.

Dr. Gregory Marcus, author of the study and cardiologist at the university, said in a press release that "we need to think carefully about the potential health effects of substantially enhancing the accessibility of cannabis."

More than 22 million Americans surveyed by researchers had reported using marijuana within the previous 30 days, according to the press release.

This unique transition to legalization provides an extraordinary opportunity to investigate hospitalizations among millions of individuals in the presence of enhanced access," Marcus said. "Our findings demonstrate several potential harmful effects that are relevant for physicians and policymakers, as well as for individuals considering cannabis use.

There's been little rigorous public health research regarding the health effects of marijuana consumption, Marcus said.

"These data demonstrate the need to caution strongly against driving while under the influence of any mind-altering substance, such as cannabis, and may suggest that efforts to combat addiction and abuse of other recreational drugs become even more important once cannabis has been legalized," he said.