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There are some studies suggesting that legalisation may have increased the number of auto accidents by 3-6%[0], which doesn't sound like a lot but is equal to q

by strken 8y ago

There are some studies suggesting that legalisation may have increased the number of auto accidents by 3-6%[0], which doesn't sound like a lot but is equal to quite a few deaths. I don't know if this argument is correct, but it at least seems genuine to me. [0] e.g. https://www.iihs.org/frontend/iihs/documents/masterfiledocs.ashx?id=2173 https://www.iihs.org/frontend/iihs/documents/masterfiledocs....

throwaway415415 8y ago
We could do with less cars, the numbers of death without drugs is insanely high already. People already drive drunk because there is no good public transport. I’m sure uber/lyft must have decrease road accidents immensly.
carlivar 8y ago
Are you talking about the legalization of alcohol in 1933? The number seems low.
BurningFrog 8y ago
Even if true, that's still minor compared to the millions of lives destroyed in the War On Drugs.
- carlivar 8y ago
  You mean the War On Some Drugs
learc83 8y ago
That study also cited a previous study that found no statistically significant increase. And since this increase was so small, I'd be very sceptical until more research is done, particularly because of the amount of variables that need to be controlled for when comparing crash rates between states. We're only talking about 3 states and a few years here. Not to mention changes caused by selective legalization that wouldn't be the case if it was legal everywhere (higher risk drivers moving to legal states, because of legalization for instance). Also the study was police reported crashes not fatal crashes. If legal pot causes a 6% increase in fatal crashes that's worth serious consideration, if it's a 6% increase in fender benders, not so much.
- strken 8y ago
  I'm all for skepticism, and agree that it needs to be applied just as much to continuing to criminalize cannabis. I worry sometimes that legalization is seen as a completely solved argument with no grey areas, when that's not the case.
  - learc83 8y ago
    Everything is a trade off. If we made swimming pools illegal we'd prevent a fair number of drowning deaths. But the burden of proof should be on the side that wants to make something illegal. We can talk about regulating use, limiting use through taxation and education etc..., but I think you need definitive evidence of extreme harm that can't be mitigated in any other way before you start putting people in jail for growing a plant.
riffic 8y ago
>auto accidents This is a grouping of words that connote happenstance while traffic collisions are generally the predictable outcome of willful, negligent, or criminal actions. #CrashNotAccident https://twitter.com/hashtag/crashnotaccident?lang=en https://twitter.com/hashtag/crashnotaccident?lang=en
masonic 8y ago
And that's an inherently underreported stat due to the increase in hit-and-run. When a driver flees the scene,he can't be counted as impaired.

by strken 8y ago

throwaway415415 8y ago

We could do with less cars, the numbers of death without drugs is insanely high already. People already drive drunk because there is no good public transport. I’m sure uber/lyft must have decrease road accidents immensly.

carlivar 8y ago

Are you talking about the legalization of alcohol in 1933? The number seems low.

BurningFrog 8y ago

Even if true, that's still minor compared to the millions of lives destroyed in the War On Drugs.

carlivar 8y ago
You mean the War On Some Drugs

learc83 8y ago

That study also cited a previous study that found no statistically significant increase. And since this increase was so small, I'd be very sceptical until more research is done, particularly because of the amount of variables that need to be controlled for when comparing crash rates between states. We're only talking about 3 states and a few years here. Not to mention changes caused by selective legalization that wouldn't be the case if it was legal everywhere (higher risk drivers moving to legal states, because of legalization for instance). Also the study was police reported crashes not fatal crashes. If legal pot causes a 6% increase in fatal crashes that's worth serious consideration, if it's a 6% increase in fender benders, not so much.

strken 8y ago
I'm all for skepticism, and agree that it needs to be applied just as much to continuing to criminalize cannabis. I worry sometimes that legalization is seen as a completely solved argument with no grey areas, when that's not the case.
- learc83 8y ago
  Everything is a trade off. If we made swimming pools illegal we'd prevent a fair number of drowning deaths. But the burden of proof should be on the side that wants to make something illegal. We can talk about regulating use, limiting use through taxation and education etc..., but I think you need definitive evidence of extreme harm that can't be mitigated in any other way before you start putting people in jail for growing a plant.

riffic 8y ago

>auto accidents This is a grouping of words that connote happenstance while traffic collisions are generally the predictable outcome of willful, negligent, or criminal actions. #CrashNotAccident https://twitter.com/hashtag/crashnotaccident?lang=en https://twitter.com/hashtag/crashnotaccident?lang=en

masonic 8y ago

And that's an inherently underreported stat due to the increase in hit-and-run. When a driver flees the scene,he can't be counted as impaired.