Marijuana’s 4/20 holiday tied to rise in fatal car crashes

CHICAGO - Marijuana users’ self-proclaimed holiday is linked with a slight increase in fatal U.S. car crashes.

That’s according to an analysis of 25 years of U.S. government traffic death data on days around April 20.

The study lacks evidence on whether pot was involved in any of the 4/20 crashes, but marijuana can impair driving ability. Researchers found a 12 per cent higher risk for fatal crashes on April 20, or an extra 142 driver deaths on that day. Similar risks have been linked with alcohol and driving on Super Bowl Sunday and New Year’s Eve.

The study was published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine.