“I just want to remind people that the use of marijuana product is just like drinking and driving. If you use marijuana and then you go out and drive, that is going to affect your abilities.” Cairns said.
He said the marijuana works like any other type of drug or alcohol where it reduces reaction times, impairs judgment of distance and decreases coordination needed for driving.
“The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has actually come up with a new slogan or motto,” Cairns said. “It’s called ‘If you feel different, you’ll drive different.’ And that’s basically saying if you’re using marijuana or any other type of drug and changes your behavior or feeling, it’s going to change your driving behavior.”
The same consequences of driving while impaired apply for smoking and driving, he added. He continued that there’s been multiple studies that suggest there are just as many marijuana injury accidents as there are alcohol-related injuries.
“We just want to hit from multiple angles: enforcement, education and working with the community, the media and everyone to put the message out there, saying ‘Please don’t smoke marijuana and drive,’” he said.