Organisation: Dalhouse University, Canada (published in the BMJ)
Date uploaded: 21st February 2012
Date published/launched: February 2012
The aim of this report was to determine whether the acute consumption of cannabis by drivers increases the risk of a motor vehicle collision.
The researchers conducted electronic searches in 19 databases, unrestricted by year or language of publication. They also did manual searches of reference lists, conducted a search for unpublished studies, and reviewed the personal libraries of the research team.
The study included observational epidemiology studies of motor vehicle collisions with an appropriate control group, and selected studies that measured recent cannabis use in drivers by toxicological analysis of whole blood or self report. Experimental or simulator studies were excluded. Two independent reviewers assessed risk of bias in
each selected study, with consensus, using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Risk estimates were combined using random effects models.
The key conclusion was that acute cannabis consumption is associated with an increased risk of a motor vehicle crash, especially for fatal collisions.
This information could be used as the basis for campaigns against drug impaired driving, developing regional or national policies to control acute drug use while driving, and raising public awareness.
For more information contact:
Mark Asbridge
T: (902) 494-3761