Among 1,110 young people who completed a digital cannabis brief intervention, higher ASSIST risk scores and polysubstance use significantly predicted driving after cannabis use, while gender did not.
Public health program managers, youth advocacy organizations, and anyone interested in low-cost cannabis harm reduction tools.
Every 10-point ASSIST increase = 7.3% more likely to drive after cannabis
What the researchers found
Every 10-point increase in ASSIST score increased the probability of sometimes driving after cannabis use by 7.3%. Those who sometimes used alcohol or other substances with cannabis were 13% more likely to sometimes or always drive after cannabis use. Gender was not a significant determinant. The digital tool cost approximately CAD $0.90 per use.
Why it matters
Identifying which cannabis users are most likely to drive impaired allows prevention resources to be targeted rather than broadcast. The finding that polysubstance use and higher problem scores predict driving behavior provides actionable screening criteria.
The numbers in context
1,110 participants; 73.6% used cannabis; 30.8% drove after cannabis; 10-point ASSIST increase = 7.3% higher probability of driving high; polysubstance users 13% more likely; cost ~CAD $0.90/use
How the study worked
Cross-sectional analysis of 1,110 completed Check Your Cannabis digital brief interventions from March 2019 to October 2020. An ordered probit model tested relationships between cannabis use patterns, demographics, and driving behaviors.
What this study cannot tell us
Self-selected sample using a digital tool. Self-reported driving behavior. No follow-up to assess behavior change. Cross-sectional design. Canadian sample may not generalize.
How to read the evidence
Reasonable sample size with appropriate statistical modeling, though self-selected digital sample and cross-sectional design limit generalizability.
When this study was published
Published in 2021 using data from 2019-2020.
The bigger picture
Low-cost digital interventions that simultaneously screen and educate could scale to reach large numbers of young cannabis users, particularly in post-legalization environments where traditional prevention messaging may be less effective.
Questions still open
- Does completing the digital intervention actually change driving behavior? Would integrating this tool into healthcare settings improve reach? Should polysubstance users receive more intensive intervention?
Common questions
Who is most likely to drive after using cannabis?
How much did the digital intervention cost?
Read the original research
A Digital Health Tool to Understand and Prevent Cannabis-Impaired Driving Among Youth: A Cross-sectional Study of Responses to a Brief Intervention for Cannabis Use.
JMIR formative research, 5(3), e25583
Citation
Moreno, Georgina; van Mierlo, Trevor. (2021). A Digital Health Tool to Understand and Prevent Cannabis-Impaired Driving Among Youth: A Cross-sectional Study of Responses to a Brief Intervention for Cannabis Use.. JMIR formative research, 5(3), e25583. https://doi.org/10.2196/25583
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