Weed On Wheels

Legal doesn’t mean harmless. Many say "being high is 'safer' than being drunk". Science says otherwise.

Weed, Cars, and the Myth of “Safe Highs”

When weed was legalized across Canada back in October 2018, something interesting happened. Suddenly, people felt way more comfortable lighting up and then sliding behind the wheel. The idea floating around was that cannabis was the “healthier” option compared to alcohol. Safer, cleaner, better. But safer doesn’t mean safe. That was the first red flag.

It’s like this: just because something is less dangerous doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous. Society wanted to believe one thing. Science told a very different story.

Enter The Freedom Effect

Think about a kid who grows up super sheltered. No phone, no hanging out with friends, no chance to figure out what’s normal for their age. Then one day they’re given total freedom. They go wild. That’s kind of how legalization worked. People weren’t prepared with the rules, so they dove straight in. But, like every law, cannabis has its boundaries:

• Age limits: 18 in Alberta, BC, and Quebec. 19 in Ontario and New Brunswick. 21 in Manitoba.

• Driving rules: zero tolerance. Driving high is illegal. Period.

  
  

Still, rules don’t always stop behavior. Both alcohol and cannabis have long histories of causing deadly crashes. And that’s why researchers keep studying them,  because the numbers don’t lie. One of the most common excuses people give for driving stoned?  “I’ve got a high tolerance. I’m fine.”

But here’s the question: fine compared to what? Sure, maybe you feel like you can drive. But are you driving as well as you would if you were sober? Science says no.

Did You Know?

Young people are especially at risk. In fact:

• Teens are 4x more likely to get into a car accident compared to the 25–29 age group.

• Weed use increases the chance of being in a crash by 6–39%.

• Among people seeking treatment for cannabis addiction, 50% admitted to driving while stoned.

  
  

And worst of all, because a lot of people think that weed doesn't do much to them, especially if it comes in the form of a vape, they think they can mix alcohol with weed. This doesn't just double the danger, it multiplies it.

Driving takes more brainpower than most people realize. You need coordination, quick reaction time, sharp vision, and the ability to juggle multiple tasks at once (hello mirrors, speed, pedestrians, traffic lights). Weed slows all of that down. Here’s what gets hit the hardest:

• Coordination

• Visual functions

• Divided attention (watching the road and everything else happening around you)

• Reaction times

  
  

Add alcohol to the mix, and it’s a recipe for disaster. And it’s not just about driving. Using cannabis daily or nearly every day can mess with your mind in ways that spill into school, work, and relationships. Some of the effects include:

• Memory issues (forgetting what you said, what you just thought, or what you were supposed to be doing)

• Trouble focusing or staying on task

• Distractibility and unwanted random thoughts

• Problems forming sentences or delayed speech

  
  

All of that can chip away at your confidence, hurt your grades, and make friendships or family connections harder to maintain. Weed may look like the “safer” choice next to alcohol, but safer doesn’t mean safe, especially when driving is involved. 

The science is clear: cannabis affects your body and your brain in ways that make being behind the wheel risky. And for teens, that risk is even higher.

Because in the end, no matter how you spin it, “less dangerous” still means dangerous.