1.9 million Ontarians admitted to driving while stoned
With the legalization of cannabis officially less than two weeks away, new data from CAA reveals a staggering number of Ontarians have admitted to driving while stoned.
The new research revealed that 1.9 million Ontario drivers admitted to driving while stoned, and over 735,000 have done so in the last three months.
The study, which was commissioned by CAA and conducted by Ipsos in July, revealed that 69% of men between the ages of 25 and 34 are more likely to drive while stoned, while 39% of novice drivers said they also drove high.
“The fact that those who drive under the influence of cannabis are most likely to be young, novice drivers, with less experience on the road, is something that we should all be concerned about,” said CAA spokesperson Elliott Silverstein.
Moreover, the data showed that one of the biggest issues is the prevalence of ‘poly-users’, who are people who smoke weed and alcohol or other mixed substances during the same time period.
CAA’s research showed that 205,800 Ontario drivers admitted to mixing alcohol and weed before getting behind the wheel in the last three months.
“Road safety needs to be prioritized as a leading issue as cannabis becomes legal in the coming weeks, but it’s clear that the focus can’t solely be on cannabis-impaired driving,” said Silverstein.
“We need to take an integrated view of the dangerous behaviours that impact road safety in Ontario and focus public education and enforcement efforts accordingly.”
The poll surveyed 1,000 Ontarians over the age of 19 who own, lease or drive a vehicle and have a valid driver’s licence.
CAA
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