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This is The Drug Report’s Friday Fact report - Increase in Fatal Crashes Involving Marijuana in Illinois and Michigan

We are sharing with you the latest insights from the 2023 Annual Cannabis Report, produced by the Adult Use Cannabis Health Advisory Committee for the state of Illinois, focusing on critical data concerning marijuana drug testing results for drivers in fatal crashes in Illinois and Michigan. This information is pivotal as we consider the implications of marijuana regulation and its impact on road safety. 

Key Highlights:

• Illinois and Michigan have experienced a noticeable increase in the presence of marijuana in drivers involved in fatal crashes. 

• Illinois saw a 46% increase from 2018 to 2020, indicating a growing trend that needs to be addressed. Between 2018 and 2020, the percentage of traffic fatalities that involved drivers who tested positive for marijuana increased from 25.5% to 37.3%. 

• Michigan's figures also reflect a concerning trend with a 49% increase in the same timeframe, rising from 26.4% of traffic fatalities in 2018 to 39.4% in 2020. 

See the 2023 Annual Cannabis report for more.

Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) is an alliance of organizations and individuals dedicated to a health-first approach to marijuana policy. We are professionals working in mental health and public health. We are bipartisan. We are medical doctors, lawmakers, treatment providers, preventionists, teachers, law enforcement officers and others who seek a middle road between incarceration and legalization. Our commonsense, third-way approach to marijuana policy is based on reputable science and sound principles of public health and safety.