Cannabis-impaired driving among young adults in Washington State stayed steady through the COVID pandemic
Among young adults in Washington State, self-reported driving under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, or both showed no significant change from pre-pandemic trends through 2021, with about 12% reporting cannabis-impaired driving.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Pre-pandemic trends in DUI prevalence and pandemic-year deviations were both small and not statistically significant. However, absolute prevalence remained concerning: 12.0% reported driving under the influence of alcohol, 12.5% under cannabis, and 2.7% under both simultaneously. College students showed a relative increase in alcohol-impaired driving during 2020.
Key Numbers
12.0% DUI-alcohol; 12.5% DUI-cannabis; 2.7% DUI-both; no significant pandemic-related changes in trends; college students showed relative increase in alcohol DUI during 2020
How They Did This
Annual statewide data from the Washington Young Adult Health Survey (2016-2021) analyzed with logistic regression to assess DUI behaviors and pandemic-related deviations from pre-pandemic trends.
Why This Research Matters
Despite major disruptions to daily life during COVID-19, young adults continued to drive impaired at alarming rates, suggesting these behaviors are deeply entrenched and resistant to circumstantial changes.
The Bigger Picture
Vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death for young adults. The persistence of high DUI rates through a pandemic that reduced driving overall underscores the need for sustained prevention efforts.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-reported DUI may underestimate true prevalence; Washington State results may not generalize nationally; annual cross-sectional design limits individual-level trend analysis; short pandemic period for trend detection
Questions This Raises
- ?Why did DUI rates remain stable despite reduced driving during the pandemic?
- ?Would ride-sharing services, which declined during COVID, have otherwise helped reduce DUI?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 12.5% reported driving under the influence of cannabis
- Evidence Grade:
- Statewide annual survey data with appropriate statistical methods, but self-reported DUI and single-state focus.
- Study Age:
- 2024 publication with 2016-2021 data
- Original Title:
- Trends in Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Cannabis Among Young Adults in Washington State From Before to During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
- Published In:
- American journal of public health, 114(S8), S698-S701 (2024)
- Authors:
- Hultgren, Brittney A(5), Calhoun, Brian H(3), Fleming, Charles B(7), Rhew, Isaac C, Larimer, Mary E, Kilmer, Jason R, Guttmannova, Katarina
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05388
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did the pandemic change cannabis-impaired driving rates?
No. Despite major changes to daily life during COVID-19, there was no significant shift in cannabis-impaired driving among young adults in Washington State. About 12.5% continued to report driving under the influence of cannabis.
How common was driving under both alcohol and cannabis?
About 2.7% of young adults reported driving after using both alcohol and cannabis simultaneously. This is particularly concerning because combining substances is associated with greater driving impairment than either substance alone.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05388APA
Hultgren, Brittney A; Calhoun, Brian H; Fleming, Charles B; Rhew, Isaac C; Larimer, Mary E; Kilmer, Jason R; Guttmannova, Katarina. (2024). Trends in Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Cannabis Among Young Adults in Washington State From Before to During the COVID-19 Pandemic.. American journal of public health, 114(S8), S698-S701. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307767
MLA
Hultgren, Brittney A, et al. "Trends in Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Cannabis Among Young Adults in Washington State From Before to During the COVID-19 Pandemic.." American journal of public health, 2024. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307767
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Trends in Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Cannabi..." RTHC-05388. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/hultgren-2024-trends-in-driving-under
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.