A growing number of marijuana users are driving while high - and it's costing them their lives.
More than 40% of victims of fatal vehicle accidents over the past six years have had elevated levels of THC in their blood, a new study shows. The drug screenings were performed during the autopsy process.
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the main psychoactive compound in the cannabis plant, is what causes the "high" feeling of euphoria that is associated with using the drug.
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The Wright State University-led study, which was published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, reviewed data for 246 deceased Ohio drivers.
The researchers found that nearly 42% tested positive for THC, with an average blood level of 30.7 ng/ML, according to a press release.
Those levels remained high over a six-year period, despite the state recently legalizing recreational cannabis.
The levels found in the study were far higher than the legal limit for THC. In Ohio and Nevada, the limit is 2 ng/mL, and it is 5 ng/mL in Colorado, Washington and Nevada. Many other states have "zero-tolerance laws," which means any detectable amount of THC is grounds for a DUI charge, or may require "proof of impairment," sources state.
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The research is set to be presented this week at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2025 in Chicago.
"I was surprised to see that level," said lead author Akpofure P. Ekeh, a professor of surgery at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, in the press release.
"An average level of 30.7 ng/mL generally means those people must have consumed marijuana at some time close to driving. This isn't about residual use; it's about recent consumption."
Ekeh also pointed out that over the past few years, there has been a push toward recreational legalization.
"The problem is that from a public health standpoint, there has not been enough emphasis on some of the downsides and the dangers that can occur," he said in the study article. "People should treat smoking marijuana just like they treat alcohol: Don't smoke and drive."
Dr. Laura Markley, medical director of addiction services at Akron Children's in Ohio, emphasized the dangers of driving high.
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"THC slows reaction time, clouds judgment and dulls coordination - and those few seconds of delay can be the difference between a near-miss and a fatal crash," Markley, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
Even amounts under the legal level may not be safe, the doctor warned.
"Emerging research shows that any amount of THC can impair driving, and the growing strength of modern cannabis products may make that impairment worse or last longer," she said. "While the science is still developing, the trend toward higher potency reinforces a simple truth - no form of cannabis use is safe before driving."
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Even those who have a high tolerance to THC will have slower reflexes, less reliable judgment and narrower focus, according to Markley.
Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for comment.
