Consumo de marihuana y accidentes vehiculares

Acute cannabis consumption and motor vehicle collision risk:

systematic review of observational studies and meta-analysis

BMJ 2012; 344 doi: 10.1136/bmj.e536 (Published 9 February 2012)

Cite this as: BMJ 2012;344:e536

Abstract

Objective

To determine whether the acute consumption of cannabis (cannabinoids)

by drivers increases the risk of a motor vehicle collision.

Design

Systematic review of observational studies, with meta-analysis.

Data sources

We did electronic searches in 19 databases, unrestricted by year or

 language of publication. We also did manual searches of reference

lists, conducted a search for unpublished studies, and reviewed the

personal libraries of the research team.

Review methods

We included observational epidemiology studies of motor vehicle

collisions with an appropriate control group, and selected studies

that measured recent cannabis use in drivers by toxicological analysis

of whole blood or self report. We excluded experimental or simulator studies.

Two independent reviewers assessed risk of bias in each selected study,

with consensus, using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Risk estimates were

combined using random effects models.

Results

We selected nine studies in the review and meta-analysis. Driving under the

 influence of cannabis was associated with a significantly increased risk of motor

vehicle collisions compared with unimpaired driving (odds ratio 1.92

(95% confidence interval 1.35 to 2.73); P=0.0003); we noted heterogeneity

among the individual study effects (I²=81). Collision risk estimates were

higher in case-control studies (2.79 (1.23 to 6.33); P=0.01) and studies of

fatal collisions (2.10 (1.31 to 3.36); P=0.002) than in culpability studies

(1.65 (1.11 to 2.46); P=0.07) and studies of non-fatal collisions

(1.74 (0.88 to 3.46); P=0.11).

Conclusions

Acute cannabis consumption is associated with an increased risk of a

motor vehicle crash, especially for fatal collisions. This information could

be used as the basis for campaigns against drug impaired driving, developing

regional or national policies to control acute drug use while driving, and

raising public awareness.

Mi comentario:

siendo la droga de mayor consumo, creo que éste artículo es muy

importante ya que nos permite tener conclusiones acerca de los riesgos

del manejo de vehículos y el consumo de la marihuana y en Guatemala,

especialmente, el problema de las drogas se ha vuelto uno de los

mayores desafíos del actual gobierno, ya que además de servir nuestro

 territorio de paso a la droga con destino al norte ( además de poner los

muertos por las guerras entre los grupos que la comercializan),  se ha

 incrementado el número de consumidores, sobre todo jóvenes, los

cuales desconocen los riesgos reales de su consumo, de donde uno de los

caminos que ha propuesto es la despenalización de la misma... asunto controversial,

pero necesario de discutir, paratomar otros caminos ante el fracaso de lo

que se ha hecho hasta ahora acerca de dicho problema.