AAA Study: Cannabis Driving Limits Have No Basis in Science
The non-profit American Automobile Association was founded in 1902.
There is no scientific basis for establishing specific limits on the amount of THC an individual can have in their system while driving, a new study from AAA (American Automobile Association) has found.
“There is understandably a strong desire by both lawmakers and the public to create legal limits for marijuana impairment in the same manner we do alcohol,” Marshall Doney, AAA president and CEO, told the Associated Press. “In the case of marijuana this approach is flawed and not supported by scientific research.”
According to the study, a blood test threshold for THC is not scientifically possible, and could lead to the potential prosecution and imprisonment of unimpaired drivers. Despite this, several states have THC driving limits, including Washington and Colorado where cannabis is legal for everyone 21 and older.
AAA recommends that THC driving limit be repealed and replaced by tests that measure actual impairment (which is what occurs in states without cannabis driving limits), which could be backed up by a blood test (without the blood test being the sole piece of evidence for impairment).
In addition to the five above-mentioned states that have specific driving limits for THC, there are nine states that currently have zero-tolerance policies in place, meaning any amount of cannabis can result in a DUI, even if its a minuscule amount from weeks ago.
The study – which can be found by clicking here – concludes that; “Based on this analysis, a quantitative threshold for per se laws for THC following cannabis use cannot be scientifically supported”.
AAA, founded in 1902, is a non-profit member service organization with over 55 million members in the United States and Canada.