How Common Is Driving High in America?
Among U.S. adults, 4.5% reported driving under the influence of cannabis in the past year, but among daily users, the predicted probability jumped to 57%.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Using NSDUH data from 128,205 adults, researchers found that 29.5% of cannabis users reported driving under the influence, with daily users showing a 57% predicted probability and those with cannabis use disorder reaching 63.8%.
Key Numbers
128,205 adults surveyed; 4.5% overall DUIC prevalence; state range 3.0% (Texas) to 8.4% (Oregon); 29.5% of cannabis users drove under influence; 57% predicted probability for daily users; 63.8% prevalence among those with CUD.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of NSDUH public-use data (2016-2018) with multivariate logistic regression examining demographic, psychosocial, and behavioral correlates of cannabis-impaired driving.
Why This Research Matters
With cannabis legalization spreading, understanding who drives while high and what risk factors accompany that behavior can help target prevention where it would do the most good.
The Bigger Picture
The strong dose-response relationship between frequency of use and impaired driving suggests that prevention efforts focused specifically on heavy and daily users could have an outsized impact on road safety.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-reported data likely underestimates actual DUIC prevalence; cross-sectional design prevents causal conclusions; no objective measures of impairment.
Questions This Raises
- ?Do states with legal cannabis have higher crash rates attributable to impaired driving?
- ?Would targeted interventions for frequent users reduce DUIC rates?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 57% predicted probability of driving under the influence among daily cannabis users
- Evidence Grade:
- Large nationally representative sample with robust statistical methods, though limited by self-report and cross-sectional design.
- Study Age:
- Data from 2016-2018 NSDUH surveys.
- Original Title:
- Prevalence and Correlates of Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis in the U.S.
- Published In:
- American journal of preventive medicine, 60(6), e251-e260 (2021)
- Authors:
- Salas-Wright, Christopher P(3), Cano, Manuel, Hai, Audrey Hang(2), Oh, Sehun, Vaughn, Michael G
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03486
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Which states had the highest rates of driving under the influence of cannabis?
Oregon had the highest rate at 8.4%, while Texas had the lowest at 3.0%, with an overall national average of 4.5%.
What other risky behaviors were linked to driving high?
Those who drove under the influence of cannabis also had higher odds of driving under the influence of other drugs, using other illicit substances, engaging in illegal behavior, and experiencing mental distress.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03486APA
Salas-Wright, Christopher P; Cano, Manuel; Hai, Audrey Hang; Oh, Sehun; Vaughn, Michael G. (2021). Prevalence and Correlates of Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis in the U.S.. American journal of preventive medicine, 60(6), e251-e260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.01.021
MLA
Salas-Wright, Christopher P, et al. "Prevalence and Correlates of Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis in the U.S.." American journal of preventive medicine, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.01.021
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Prevalence and Correlates of Driving Under the Influence of ..." RTHC-03486. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/salas-wright-2021-prevalence-and-correlates-of
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.