Problems/Solutions Associated with Driving while Intoxicated with Marijuana

1. Problem Identification

Driving while intoxicated (DWI) is unquestionably a serious crime that endangers the
well-being and lives of the driver, other motorists, and pedestrians. Traditionally, driving while
intoxicated was commonly linked with alcohol intake, but recently, the use of marijuana while
behind the wheels has become an increasing concern in the US and globally. In 2018, roughly 12
million (4.7 percent) of US residents aged 16 years and older stated driving under the influence
of marijuana within the past twelve months, while only 2.3 million (0.9 percent) revealed driving
under the influence of banned substances other than marijuana (CDC, 2019).
Although cases of marijuana intoxication while driving are substantially higher than
alcohol, there has been little effort to curb the practice, partly because law enforcement officers
are not adequately trained and equipped to detect marijuana; also, the technology on marijuana
detection is not as advanced as that of alcohol. Another reason perhaps is because cannabis use is
legal in most states, including Colorado and Washington; therefore, there is less focus on the
impact of marijuana to drivers compared to alcohol. However, a recent spike in DWI-marijuana-
related accidents and mortalities has created a new need to put the issue on the spotlight. This
research proposal will explore the thorny issues associated with driving under the influence of
marijuana, including ramifications, how much one can consume to be considered intoxicated,
how the police can gauge or detect marijuana intoxication among drivers, and potential solutions
to the issue.

2. Research Questions

i. What are the problems associated with driving while intoxicated with marijuana?

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ii. How can law enforcement officers gauge who is impaired and make a determination
to arrest?
iii. How much can one smoke/consume and still get behind the wheel legally?
iv. What potential solutions/interventions can be implemented to address driving while
intoxicated with marijuana?

3. Significance of the Study
4. Information/Data Needed to Answer the Research Question and Steps Needed to

Collect Relevant Information/Data

5. Literature Review

5.1. Problems Associated with Driving While Intoxicated with Marijuana
5.2. How Police can Determine Who is Impaired
5.3. How Much can one Smoke/Consume and Still Get Behind the Wheel Legally
and How the Police can Gauge this and make the Determination
5.4. Interventions/Solutions to Reduce Incidences of Driving while Intoxicated
with Marijuana
5.5. Limitations of the Literature

6. Stakeholders that Might be Interested in this Research

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References

CDC. (2019). Driving under the influence of marijuana and illicit drugs among persons aged ≥
16 years – United States, 2018. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR),
68(50), 1153-1157.