According to statistics the number of teens who drive under the influence of marijuana is on the rise, and this trend has caused an increase in the number of accidents and injuries that teens are involved with. Many teenagers believe that marijuana use is not substance abuse but this is completely wrong. Marijuana is called the gateway drug for a reason and this type of substance abuse can quickly lead to others as well. Marijuana use and driving is just as foolish and dangerous as drinking and driving, and it is against the law. Teens who are caught can be arrested, forced to undergo substance abuse counseling, face steep fines and court costs, and even lose the privilege to drive at all in many cases.
Driving under the influence of marijuana is often viewed as harmless but this is not the case. This form of substance abuse slows down reaction times and causes concentration to wander. While driving these effects can cause a teenager to lose control and cause an accident. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse marijuana is the most commonly used drug among teenagers and more teens that die in car accidents every year have this drug in their system than any other. Just the fact that the driver had substance abuse issues and died in a car accident is not a definitive cause and effect, and while pot may not play a role in some of these accidents this substance abuse is absolutely the cause of others.
