NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — AAA has a special message for anyone planning to take part in 420, the unofficial cannabis holiday.
They are warning people that it can impair many of your body's functions needed for driving, so they are asking people not to get behind the wheel if they plan on partaking.
Everyone knows not to drink and drive, but Triple A found that nearly 90 percent of the cannabis users they surveyed admitted to driving, not long after taking part in the drug.
The survey also revealed a few key themes....
Nearly 85 percent said they drive the same day they consume cannabis...with more than half saying they got behind the wheel an hour or less after smoking or ingesting marijuana.
The survey also discovered that nearly half believed being high has little effect on driving.
AAA Spokesperson Meagan Cooper says it's important to understand that the road requires clear heads, not clouded minds.
"We know that it can impair your physical motor skills, we know that it can affect your decision making. Cannabis is one of those substances that affects everyone a little bit differently. But some of the more common effects that we see are things like fatigue, brain fog, changes in visual or auditory perception, and even hallucinations. None of those are safe when you are behind the wheel of a vehicle," said Cooper.
Cooper went on to say that they don't have an opinion on legalizing cannabis use, but they just want people to be safe and responsible if they take part.
"We want people to understand that we're not telling people you can't have fun. We just don't want you to drive when you are impaired."
She adds that it's important to understand that it can affect everyone differently, but still causes impairment.
"Having things like your physical motor functions impaired, decision making, perception... those are all very important things when we're driving. We want those to be functioning as well as they can. We don't want to put ourselves or everyone else on the roadways at risk. It's really not worth it."
AAA says if you plan to celebrate the unofficial cannabis holiday on Sunday, stay where you are or be sure to call a friend, taxi, or rideshare to get you home safely.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Eric.Pointer@newschannel5.com.
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