Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis Held Steady From 2016-2020, Even as Cannabis Use Rose 29%
Despite a 29% increase in past-year cannabis use from 2016 to 2020, cannabis-impaired driving among users actually decreased, while alcohol-impaired driving also continued to decline.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Using nationally representative NSDUH data, over 1 in 10 US adults reported DUI of any substance annually. Cannabis-impaired driving did not increase in the general population, but among past-year cannabis users it decreased (AOR 0.95). Meanwhile, alcohol-impaired driving declined overall (AOR 0.96). Females and adults ages 26-34 and 65+ showed increasing trends for driving under the influence of non-cannabis drugs.
Key Numbers
Over 1 in 10 US adults reported past-year DUI of any substance. DUIA peaked at 8.7% in 2017 and declined (AOR 0.96). Past-year cannabis use rose 29.1%. DUIC among users declined (AOR 0.95).
How They Did This
Analysis of National Survey on Drug Use and Health data from 2016-2020, using nationally representative samples of non-institutionalized US adults. Prevalence estimates and adjusted logistic regressions characterized temporal trends overall and among demographic subpopulations.
Why This Research Matters
As cannabis legalization spreads, a key public health concern is whether more use translates to more impaired driving. This national data suggests the relationship is not straightforward: more people used cannabis, but the rate of driving impaired among users went down.
The Bigger Picture
These findings challenge the assumption that rising cannabis use automatically means more impaired driving. Possible explanations include growing public awareness campaigns, substitution of cannabis for alcohol in some contexts, or shifts in how and where people consume cannabis.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-reported data likely underestimates actual DUI prevalence. The study period ends in 2020, so COVID-19 may have influenced driving patterns. Cannot distinguish between levels of impairment or crash risk.
Questions This Raises
- ?Why did cannabis-impaired driving decrease among users even as use increased?
- ?Have legalization-era public awareness campaigns about impaired driving been effective?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 29% increase in cannabis use, but impaired driving among users went down
- Evidence Grade:
- Nationally representative data (NSDUH) with large sample sizes and adjusted analyses across multiple years.
- Study Age:
- Published 2023, using 2016-2020 data.
- Original Title:
- Driving under the influence of cannabis, alcohol, and illicit drugs among adults in the United States from 2016 to 2020.
- Published In:
- Addictive behaviors, 140, 107614 (2023)
- Authors:
- Myers, Matthew G, Bonar, Erin E(8), Bohnert, Kipling M(4)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-04799
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did more cannabis use lead to more impaired driving?
No. While past-year cannabis use rose 29% from 2016 to 2020, the rate of driving under the influence of cannabis among users actually decreased.
How does cannabis-impaired driving compare to alcohol-impaired driving?
Alcohol-impaired driving was more prevalent overall (8.7% at peak) and also declined over the period. Cannabis-impaired driving was less common and held steady in the general population.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-04799APA
Myers, Matthew G; Bonar, Erin E; Bohnert, Kipling M. (2023). Driving under the influence of cannabis, alcohol, and illicit drugs among adults in the United States from 2016 to 2020.. Addictive behaviors, 140, 107614. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107614
MLA
Myers, Matthew G, et al. "Driving under the influence of cannabis, alcohol, and illicit drugs among adults in the United States from 2016 to 2020.." Addictive behaviors, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107614
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Driving under the influence of cannabis, alcohol, and illici..." RTHC-04799. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/myers-2023-driving-under-the-influence
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.