By Wendy Haaf
Marijuana was legalized in Canada in October 2018, and since then, a greater proportion of people seem to be getting behind the wheel after using it.
Researchers in British Columbia looked at levels of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, in the blood of drivers treated at four B.C. trauma centres after they had been moderately injured in a crash.
The study found that the percentage of drivers with a THC level of at least 2.0 nanograms/millilitre had increased from 3.8 per cent before legalization to 8.6 per cent. The greatest increase was seen in men and in people 50 or older.
The researchers were careful to note that the presence of THC at the levels detected did not necessarily mean that cannabis had caused any of the collisions.
Source: The New England Journal of Medicine
Photo: iStock
