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Cannabis use as a risk factor for causing motor vehicle crashes : a prospective study Brubacher, Jeffrey; Chan, Herbert; Erdelyi, Shannon; Macdonald, Scott; Asbridge, Mark; Mann, Robert E.; Eppler, Jeffrey; Lund, Adam; MacPherson, Andrew; Martz, Walter; Schreiber, William Edward, 1954-; Brant, Rollin; Purssell, Roy
Abstract
Aim We conducted a responsibility analysis to determine whether drivers injured in motor vehicle collisions who test positive for Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or other drugs are more likely to have contributed to the crash than those who test negative. Design Prospective case–control study. Setting Trauma centres in British Columbia, Canada. Participants Injured drivers who required blood tests for clinical purposes following a motor vehicle collision. Measurements Excess whole blood remaining after clinical use was obtained and broad-spectrum toxicology testing performed. The analysis quantified alcohol and THC and gave semiquantitative levels of other impairing drugs and medications. Police crash reports were analysed to determine which drivers contributed to the crash (responsible) and which were ‘innocently involved’ (non-responsible). We used unconditional logistic regression to determine the likelihood (odds ratio: OR) of crash responsibility in drivers with 0 < THC < 2 ng/ml, 2 ng/ml ≤ THC < 5 ng/ml and THC ≥ 5 ng/ml (all versus THC = 0 ng/ml). Risk estimates were adjusted for age, sex and presence of other impairing substances. Findings We obtained toxicology results on 3005 injured drivers and police reports on 2318. Alcohol was detected in 14.4% of drivers, THC in 8.3%, other drugs in 8.9% and sedating medications in 19.8%. There was no increased risk of crash responsibility in drivers with THC < 2 ng/ml or 2 ≤ THC < 5 ng/ml. In drivers with THC ≥ 5 ng/ml, the adjusted OR was 1.74 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.59–6.36; P = 0.35]. There was significantly increased risk of crash responsibility in drivers with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) ≥ 0.08% (OR = 6.00;95% CI = 3.87–9.75; P < 0.01), other recreational drugs detected (OR = 1.82;95% CI = 1.21–2.80; P < 0.01) or sedating medications detected (OR = 1.45; 95%CI = 1.11–1.91; P < 0.01). Conclusions In this sample of non-fatally injured motor vehicle drivers in British Columbia, Canada, there was no evidence of increased crash risk in drivers with Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol < 5 ng/ml and a statistically non-significant increased risk of crash responsibility (odds ratio = 1.74) in drivers with Δ-9- tetrahydrocannabinol ≥ 5 ng/ml.
Item Metadata
| Title |
Cannabis use as a risk factor for causing motor vehicle crashes : a prospective study
|
| Creator | |
| Publisher |
Wiley
|
| Date Issued |
2019-05-10
|
| Description |
Aim We conducted a responsibility analysis to determine whether drivers injured in motor vehicle collisions who test
positive for Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or other drugs are more likely to have contributed to the crash than those
who test negative. Design Prospective case–control study. Setting Trauma centres in British Columbia, Canada.
Participants Injured drivers who required blood tests for clinical purposes following a motor vehicle collision.
Measurements Excess whole blood remaining after clinical use was obtained and broad-spectrum toxicology testing
performed. The analysis quantified alcohol and THC and gave semiquantitative levels of other impairing drugs and medications. Police crash reports were analysed to determine which drivers contributed to the crash (responsible) and which
were ‘innocently involved’ (non-responsible). We used unconditional logistic regression to determine the likelihood (odds
ratio: OR) of crash responsibility in drivers with 0 < THC < 2 ng/ml, 2 ng/ml ≤ THC < 5 ng/ml and THC ≥ 5 ng/ml (all
versus THC = 0 ng/ml). Risk estimates were adjusted for age, sex and presence of other impairing substances.
Findings We obtained toxicology results on 3005 injured drivers and police reports on 2318. Alcohol was detected in
14.4% of drivers, THC in 8.3%, other drugs in 8.9% and sedating medications in 19.8%. There was no increased risk of
crash responsibility in drivers with THC < 2 ng/ml or 2 ≤ THC < 5 ng/ml. In drivers with THC ≥ 5 ng/ml, the adjusted
OR was 1.74 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.59–6.36; P = 0.35]. There was significantly increased risk of crash responsibility in drivers with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) ≥ 0.08% (OR = 6.00;95% CI = 3.87–9.75; P < 0.01), other recreational drugs detected (OR = 1.82;95% CI = 1.21–2.80; P < 0.01) or sedating medications detected (OR = 1.45;
95%CI = 1.11–1.91; P < 0.01). Conclusions In this sample of non-fatally injured motor vehicle drivers in British Columbia, Canada, there was no evidence of increased crash risk in drivers with Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol < 5 ng/ml
and a statistically non-significant increased risk of crash responsibility (odds ratio = 1.74) in drivers with Δ-9-
tetrahydrocannabinol ≥ 5 ng/ml.
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| Subject | |
| Genre | |
| Type | |
| Language |
eng
|
| Date Available |
2022-06-23
|
| Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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| Rights |
Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
|
| DOI |
10.14288/1.0415378
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| URI | |
| Affiliation | |
| Citation |
10.1111/add.14663
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| Publisher DOI |
Brubacher, J. R., Chan, H., Erdelyi, S., Macdonald, S., Asbridge, M., Mann, R. E., Eppler, J., Lund, A., MacPherson, A., Martz, W., Schreiber, W. E., Brant, R., Purssell, R. A. (2019). Cannabis use as a risk factor for causing motor vehicle crashes: a prospective study. Addiction.
|
| Peer Review Status |
Reviewed
|
| Scholarly Level |
Faculty; Researcher
|
| Rights URI | |
| Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
|
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Item Citations and Data
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International