At congressional hearings on Thursday, a National Traffic Highway Safety Administration study on Colorado fatalities from 2007-2012 due out in January was top of the agenda. Republican John Fleming of Luisiana said that although the number of fatalities overall was down in Colorado, marijuana linked fatalities had increased by 100 percent.
Medical marijuana was commercialized in Colorado in 2009 and since then there has been a dramatic increase in accidents where the driver was high.
Lawmakers concluded that much more needs to be learned about the effects of marijuana on drivers. They know that one of the compounds from the cannabis plant, Delta-9-tetrahydrocannanbinol (THC) is the most psychoactive derivative from the plant, producing euphoria, relaxation, intensification of ordinary sensory experiences, perceptual alterations, diminished pain, and difficulties with memory and concentration. The lawmakers also want to set standards in states like Colorado.
Researchers in Colorado are now gathering data to make recommendations on marijuana intoxication guidelines. Those are expected in January.
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