Tag Archives: Spokane

Washington State Leads the Nation in Stoned Driver Fatalities

On July 15, 2015, two stoned driver accidents — one fatal — occurred in Spokane, Washington, on the same day.  A motorcyclist  was seriously injured in the first accident.  An hour and a half later, a bicyclist killed was killed.  

The state of Washington leads the nation with 27% of their fatal accidents being caused by drivers using marijuana, according to Phillip Drum, PharmD.   (In 2013 there Continue reading Washington State Leads the Nation in Stoned Driver Fatalities

15 Deaths in Crashes, Fires, Shootings Caused by Pot

For the state of Washington, we’ve tracked 15 deaths in which marijuana was a direct causal factor, since marijuana possession became legal.  In 3 more deaths,  it’s likely that pot was a contributing cause.  Here’s the tally beginning December, 5, 2012:

3 teens killed in crash by student driver high on marijuana                         5 pedestrian deaths in Vancouver, WA                                                                   5 deaths in a school shooting including the gunman                                     2 neighbors died after hash oil explosions                                                            2 shooting deaths for robbing a marijuana grow.                                               1 motorcyclist killed by a stoned driver

“THE world is watching Washington’s historic experiment with marijuana legalization, and we’re screwing it up.” claimed a recent editorial in the Seattle Times.    Continue reading 15 Deaths in Crashes, Fires, Shootings Caused by Pot

Washington’s Marijuana Policies Still Chaotic

THE world is watching Washington’s historic experiment with marijuana legalization, and we’re screwing it up.”  claimed a recent editorial in the Seattle Times.    “The experiment is undermined by a much larger, wildly unregulated medical-marijuana market.”   The state’s failures shouldn’t be an excuse for inaction in Seattle, the paper said.

The state’s major newspaper is clearly disillusioned with marijuana in Washington, even though it supported Initiative-502 back in 2012.  The editorial implied that the medical and recreational regulation should be integrated, calling the legislature’s failure to do so “abysmal.”  At last,  Seattle’s mayor issued a plan to regulate medical marijuana, but it probably doesn’t have much teeth. Continue reading Washington’s Marijuana Policies Still Chaotic