From: shug <[s--g] at [shuggie.naespam.demon.co.uk]>
Newsgroups: uk.politics.drugs,talk.politics.drugs,alt.politics.marijuana,rec.drugs.cannabis
Subject: Cannabis makes you a better driver - more evidence
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 1998 17:13:49 +0100

The AGE 21 October 1998 pA5
CANBERRA TIMES 21 October 1998 p4

The largest study ever done linking road accidents with drugs and 
alcohol has found drivers with cannabis in their blood were no more at 
risk than those who were drug-free. In fact, the findings by a 
pharmacology team from the University of Adelaide and Transport SA 
showed drivers who had smoked marijuana were marginally less likely to 
have an accident than those who were drug-free. A study spokesman, Dr 
Jason White, said the difference was not great enough to be 
statistically significant but could be explained by anecdotal evidence 
that marijuana smokers were more cautious and drove more slowly because 
of altered time perception. The study of 2,500 accidents, which matched 
the blood alcohol levels of injured drivers with details from police 
reports, found drug-free drivers caused the accidents in 53.5 per cent 
of cases. Injured drivers with a blood-alcohol concentration of more 
than 0.05 per cent were culpable in nearly 90 per cent of accidents they 
were involved in. Drivers with cannabis in their blood were less likely 
to cause an accident, with a culpability rate of 50.6 per cent. The 
study has policy implications for those who argue drug detection should 
be anew focus for road safety. Dr White said  the study showed the 
importance of concentrating efforts on alcohol rather than other drugs.

Shug
       
****************************************
      Shug's War on Drugs Library       
         http://www.shug.co.uk
****************************************
(Remove 'naespam' from headers to reply by email)