Academic Journal
Prevalence of cannabis, alcohol, and simultaneous use among drivers in states with and without recreational cannabis laws, 2021-2023.
| Title: | Prevalence of cannabis, alcohol, and simultaneous use among drivers in states with and without recreational cannabis laws, 2021-2023. |
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| Authors: | Eichelberger AH; Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 988 Dairy Road, Ruckersville, VA 22968, United States. Electronic address: aeichelberger@iihs.org. |
| Source: | Journal of safety research [J Safety Res] 2026 Jun; Vol. 97, pp. 169-173. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Mar 04. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Pergamon Press Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 1264241 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1879-1247 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00224375 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Safety Res Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: Elmsford, NY : Pergamon Press Original Publication: [Chicago] National Safety Council. |
| MeSH Terms: | Alcohol Drinking*/epidemiology , Marijuana Smoking*/epidemiology , Marijuana Smoking*/legislation & jurisprudence , Automobile Driving*/statistics & numerical data , Driving Under the Influence*/statistics & numerical data , Marijuana Use*/epidemiology , Marijuana Use*/legislation & jurisprudence, United States/epidemiology ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Male ; Adult ; Cannabis |
| Abstract: | Introduction: The present study investigated trends in the prevalence of alcohol use, cannabis use, and their simultaneous use among drivers in states with and without recreational cannabis laws. Method: Telephone interviews were conducted with 9,146 adult drivers across six states in 2021-2023 with a 27% cooperation rate. Four states legalized cannabis for recreational use shortly before or during the study period (Connecticut, Delaware, New York, and Virginia), and two states did not have recreational cannabis laws (North Carolina and South Carolina). Results: In the states with recreational cannabis laws, past-year cannabis use was 21%-29% in 2021 and 30%-36% in 2023, past-year drinking was 67%-75% in 2021 and 67%-79% in 2023, and simultaneous use was 10%-15% in 2021 and 14%-20% in 2023. In the other states, the prevalence of past-year cannabis use was 21%-22% in 2021 and 25-28% in 2023, past-year drinking was 65%-70% in 2021 and 62%-66% in 2023, and simultaneous use was 9%-10% in 2021 and 12-14% in 2023. Although past-year cannabis use and simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use rose in states with recreational cannabis laws, most time trends did not differ significantly across states with recreational cannabis laws compared with other states. Conclusions: Drivers in all study states reported higher prevalence of cannabis use and simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use in 2023 compared with 2021, but results were inconclusive regarding the association of recreational cannabis laws with these changes. Practical Applications: The increased prevalence of simultaneous substance use is concerning due to the possibility of heightened risk behavior and poorer driving performance, suggesting a need for increased awareness among drivers about the risks of using alcohol and cannabis together. (Copyright © 2026. Published by Elsevier Ltd.) |
| Competing Interests: | Declaration of competing interest The author declares that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Impaired driving; Marijuana; Polysubstance use; Surveys; Trends |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260615 Date Completed: 20260615 Latest Revision: 20260615 |
| Update Code: | 20260616 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jsr.2026.02.009 |
| PMID: | 42297470 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1879-1247 |
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| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jsr.2026.02.009 |