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active chemical, THC, causes its effect by attaching to
receptors in brain regions that are vital for memory for-
mation, including the hippocampus, amygdala, and ce-
rebral cortex. 35

Marijuana and Driving
Impairments in body movements and concentration mean that
people under the infl uence of marijuana present a risk to them-
selves and others when they drive. Scientists have conducted
studies using driving simulators to test the reactions of people
under the infl uence of marijuana. The researchers found that
marijuana use increases reaction time, making it harder for a
person under the infl uence to react to dangers on the road.
Drivers under the infl uence of marijuana also had trouble keep-
ing their car within their lane, a problem that
increased with larger doses of THC. Re-
searchers also found that people under the “There’s no question that
infl uence of marijuana more poorly monitor marijuana . . . can pro-
the speedometer, take longer to make deci- duce short-term problems
sions when passing other vehicles, take lon- with thinking, working
ger to brake when a light suddenly changes, memory, executive func-
and take longer to respond to a changing or tion, and psychomotor
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sudden sound. function. . . .”
The effects of marijuana on driving that —Harvard Medical School
have been seen in the laboratory are also be-
ing seen on the road. A 2018 study by the In-
surance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute
(IIHS-HLDI) found that motor vehicle crashes were up 6 percent
in four states that legalized recreational marijuana—Colorado,
Nevada, Oregon, and Washington—compared with four neigh-
boring states where marijuana is restricted or illegal—Idaho,
Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. The researchers controlled for
factors such as driver age and employment status, seasonality,
weather, and location. “What we’re seeing is a defi nite increase

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