AAA surveyed 2,000 cannabis users across eight states regarding their driving after using cannabis. Of those surveyed, 46.9% believe they drive the same after consuming marijuana, and 19.4% think they drive better.
AAA is out with a new survey that found more than half the cannabis users they talked to don't think the drug affects their driving.
AAA surveyed 2,000 cannabis users across eight states regarding their driving after using cannabis. Of those surveyed, 46.9% believe they drive the same after consuming marijuana, and 19.4% think they drive better.
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WATCH HERE"Using cannabis can impair your judgement, it decreases your reaction time, and it does not make you a safer driver," said Tracy Noble with AAA Club Alliance. "That’s one of the biggest misconceptions out there.”
Driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal in Connecticut, carrying the same penalties as driving drunk. Last year, there were more than 2,700 crashes involving an impaired driver according to the Connecticut Crash Data Repository.
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SIGN UP That state data doesn't specify if those drivers used alcohol or marijuana or another drug, but AAA is trying to make roads safe by changing how drivers think about using marijuana.
"If you're going to consume cannabis, don't drive. It's that simple," said Noble. "Nobody is saying don't do it. We're simply saying don't drive."
More than a third of people surveyed said they trust information from cannabis companies. At Budr in West Hartford, there are signs about safe consumption and staff educate customers.
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"So they have full knowledge of the products they're using and they can make the best judgment call for themselves," said Holly Brothers, the general manager at Budr.
Days leading up to and after 4/20 is one of the store's busiest times. While staff want you to celebrate, their message is the same: driving impaired is still dangerous no matter what products you use.
"The cognitive impairment could be there, whether you consume it, via smoking or inhaling, whether you choose to ingest any form of marijuana use, you can't consume and then drive," said Brothers. "You need to treat it just like you would alcohol."
AAA says they've partnered with cannabis businesses in New Jersey to distribute flyers about safe consumption with each purchase. The agency is working with Connecticut businesses to incorporate that practice. Budr said they would be in favor of that effort.
