A recent study of fatal car crash victims in Ohio showed that over a six-year period, more than 40% had THC levels far above established limits, a rate that did not drop after marijuana became legal for recreational use in that state. Its authors say that the lack of public awareness around marijuana’s dangers behind the wheel is putting lives at risk … and that messages around the hazards of “driving while high” need to be stronger.
In a review of 246 drivers who died in vehicle accidents between 2019 and 2024, 41.9% tested positive for active THC in their blood, with an average level of 30.7 ng/mL, far exceeding the state’s legal limit for impairment of 2 ng/mL.
“I was surprised to see that level,” said lead author Akpofure P. Ekeh, M.D., a professor of surgery at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. “An average level of 30.7 ng/mL generally means those people must have consumed marijuana at some time close to driving. This isn’t about residual use; it’s about recent consumption.”…