RICHMOND, Va. — A Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) study found about one in three Virginians believe people who use marijuana are safer drivers.
The CCA called that a dangerous myth and is working to clear up misconceptions about using cannabis and getting behind the wheel.
A new PSA campaign focused around the 4/20 cannabis holiday depicted “bad combination” scenarios such as a young woman with a balloon surrounded by cacti.
"It's just a really fun, kitschy way to approach it, and hopefully memorable for people, so that they understand that there are many things that are a bad combination — but one of the most serious is driving while under the influence of marijuana,” said Jamie Patten, CAA acting head and chief administrative officer.
Patten said driving while high is treated the same as driving while drunk in Virginia.
“You can be subject to the same fines or penalties. You can have higher insurance rates. You could lose your license, and you also could be involved in a car accident,” she said.
Some shoppers in Richmond’s Carytown agreed that drivers should not use cannabis before getting behind the wheel.
“I’ve definitely been in the car with people who are driving high before, and we've never been in a crash. But I mean that'd be bad, you know?” Khloe Jacobowitz said.
“Learn to control it. Stay positive,” Kenneth Witcher said.
Jacobwitz shared “That’s not dope. Everybody, if you're high and driving, that's not dope. That's my message.”
The PSA cautioned marijuana affects reaction time, judgment, and that impairment can show up in different ways behind the wheel.
"It's really important that you make that decision in advance while you're not under the influence, so that you make a better decision. You can plan for a ride share. You can ask a sober friend, or you can just make plans that don't involve driving while you celebrate the holiday,” Patten said.
CCA will be on the VCU campus from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday to share their safe driving message with an interactive pop-up with “high goggles” and other experiences that will stick with students.
The campaign comes as Virginia lawmakers are in the final stages of establishing a regulated, adult-use recreational marijuana market with sales expected to start in 2026 or 2027.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
