{"title":"Cannabis and driving: A repeat cross-sectional analysis of driving after cannabis use pre- vs. post-legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada","authors":"Ava Kucera, David Hammond","doi":"10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108419","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The potential impact of cannabis legalization on driving after cannabis use is an important public health consideration. The current paper examined the prevalence of driving after cannabis use and being a passenger of a driver who recently consumed cannabis pre- and five years post- legalization of recreational cannabis.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>National population-based surveys were conducted annually between 2018 and 2023 as part of the International Cannabis Policy Study (ICPS). A total of 93,933 participants aged 16–65 years from Canada were included in the analysis. Logistic regression models assessed trends in driving after cannabis use by age, sex-at-birth, income adequacy, ethnicity, and educational attainment.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In 2018, 5.7 % of all respondents and 19.9 % of past 12-month consumers reported driving within 2 h of cannabis consumption in the past year. Driving after consumption increased moderately in the five years post legalization among all participants, with a significantly higher prevalence reported in 2022 (8.8 % vs. 5.7 %, OR = 1.43, 95 % CI = 1.22, 1.66, p < 0.001) and 2023 (7.6 % vs. 5.7 %, OR = 1.20, 95 % CI = 1.03, 1.40, p = 0.018) than in 2018. However, driving after consumption remained stable among past 12-month consumers, with a moderately lower prevalence in 2023 than in 2018 (18.3 % vs. 19.9 %, OR = 0.81, 95 % CI = 0.68, 0.97, p = 0.024).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The increase in the overall rate of driving after use likely reflects the increase in consumption among all Canadians following recreational cannabis legalization. There was no evidence to support changes in the overall prevalence of passenger behaviour following legalization. Differences across sociodemographic variables are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7155,"journal":{"name":"Addictive behaviors","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 108419"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Addictive behaviors","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460325001807","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective
The potential impact of cannabis legalization on driving after cannabis use is an important public health consideration. The current paper examined the prevalence of driving after cannabis use and being a passenger of a driver who recently consumed cannabis pre- and five years post- legalization of recreational cannabis.
Method
National population-based surveys were conducted annually between 2018 and 2023 as part of the International Cannabis Policy Study (ICPS). A total of 93,933 participants aged 16–65 years from Canada were included in the analysis. Logistic regression models assessed trends in driving after cannabis use by age, sex-at-birth, income adequacy, ethnicity, and educational attainment.
Results
In 2018, 5.7 % of all respondents and 19.9 % of past 12-month consumers reported driving within 2 h of cannabis consumption in the past year. Driving after consumption increased moderately in the five years post legalization among all participants, with a significantly higher prevalence reported in 2022 (8.8 % vs. 5.7 %, OR = 1.43, 95 % CI = 1.22, 1.66, p < 0.001) and 2023 (7.6 % vs. 5.7 %, OR = 1.20, 95 % CI = 1.03, 1.40, p = 0.018) than in 2018. However, driving after consumption remained stable among past 12-month consumers, with a moderately lower prevalence in 2023 than in 2018 (18.3 % vs. 19.9 %, OR = 0.81, 95 % CI = 0.68, 0.97, p = 0.024).
Conclusions
The increase in the overall rate of driving after use likely reflects the increase in consumption among all Canadians following recreational cannabis legalization. There was no evidence to support changes in the overall prevalence of passenger behaviour following legalization. Differences across sociodemographic variables are discussed.
目的大麻合法化对吸食大麻后驾车的潜在影响是一个重要的公共卫生问题。目前的论文调查了吸食大麻后开车的流行程度,以及在娱乐性大麻合法化前和五年后,最近吸食大麻的司机的乘客。方法作为国际大麻政策研究(ICPS)的一部分,在2018年至2023年期间每年进行一次全国人口调查。来自加拿大的93,933名年龄在16-65岁之间的参与者被纳入分析。逻辑回归模型根据年龄、出生性别、收入充足性、种族和教育程度评估了吸食大麻后驾车的趋势。结果2018年,5.7%的受访者和19.9%的过去12个月消费者报告在过去一年中吸食大麻后2小时内驾驶。在所有参与者中,在大麻合法化后的五年内,消费后驾驶适度增加,2022年报告的患病率明显更高(8.8%对5.7%,OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.22, 1.66, p <;0.001)和2023年(7.6%比5.7%,或= 1.20,95% CI = 1.03, 1.40, p = 0.018)比2018年。然而,在过去12个月的消费者中,消费后开车的比例保持稳定,2023年的患病率略低于2018年(18.3%对19.9%,OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.68, 0.97, p = 0.024)。结论:使用后驾驶的总体比率的增加可能反映了所有加拿大人在娱乐性大麻合法化后消费的增加。没有证据支持大麻合法化后乘客行为的总体流行度发生变化。讨论了社会人口变量之间的差异。
期刊介绍:
Addictive Behaviors is an international peer-reviewed journal publishing high quality human research on addictive behaviors and disorders since 1975. The journal accepts submissions of full-length papers and short communications on substance-related addictions such as the abuse of alcohol, drugs and nicotine, and behavioral addictions involving gambling and technology. We primarily publish behavioral and psychosocial research but our articles span the fields of psychology, sociology, psychiatry, epidemiology, social policy, medicine, pharmacology and neuroscience. While theoretical orientations are diverse, the emphasis of the journal is primarily empirical. That is, sound experimental design combined with valid, reliable assessment and evaluation procedures are a requisite for acceptance. However, innovative and empirically oriented case studies that might encourage new lines of inquiry are accepted as well. Studies that clearly contribute to current knowledge of etiology, prevention, social policy or treatment are given priority. Scholarly commentaries on topical issues, systematic reviews, and mini reviews are encouraged. We especially welcome multimedia papers that incorporate video or audio components to better display methodology or findings.
Studies can also be submitted to Addictive Behaviors? companion title, the open access journal Addictive Behaviors Reports, which has a particular interest in ''non-traditional'', innovative and empirically-oriented research such as negative/null data papers, replication studies, case reports on novel treatments, and cross-cultural research.