Association between self-reports of being high and perceptions about the safety of drugged and drunk
posted 15/04/2016
publication Health Educ. Res. (2016) doi: 10.1093/her/cyw023
Association between self-reports of being high and perceptions about the safety of drugged and drunk driving
Jane A. Allen1,*,
Kevin C. Davis1,
Jennifer C. Duke1,
James M. Nonnemaker1,
Brian R. Bradfield1,
Matthew C. Farrelly1,
Scott P. Novak1 and
Gary A. Zarkin1
+ Author Affiliations
1RTI International, 3040 E. Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
↵*Correspondence to: Jane A. Allen. E-mail: janeallen@rti.org
Received September 10, 2015.
Accepted April 15, 2016.
Abstract
This study examines the relationship between self-reports of being high on marijuana and perceptions about driving high or drunk. Data were collected in 2014 from an online convenience sample of adult, past 30-day marijuana and hashish users in Colorado and Washington (n = 865). Respondents were asked, “Were you high or feeling the effects of marijuana or hashish when you took this survey?” Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between being high and beliefs about driving high, controlling for demographics and marijuana use. Respondents who reported being high at the time of survey administration had higher odds of agreeing with the statements, “I can safely drive under the influence of marijuana” (OR = 3.13, P < 0.001) and “I can safely drive under the influence of alcohol” (OR = 3.71, P < 0.001) compared with respondents who did not report being high. Respondents who were high also had higher odds of being open to driving high under certain circumstances. Being high may influence perceptions about the safety of drugged and drunk driving. The effectiveness of public health messages to prevent drugged and drunk driving may depend in part on how persuasive they are among individuals who are high.
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