Drugged Driving | Meet the Effects

Don't Drive High. THC slows reaction time, distorts perception, and doubles the risk of a crash.

Meet The Weed Effects

THC is proven to slow reaction time, reduce focus, and temporarily weaken problem solving skills. Consuming THC affects you differently than alcohol, but it impairs driving ability all the same. CDOT’s Meet The Effects Campaign is committed to raising awareness of the dangers of driving high. When someone is high behind the wheel, the chances of a crash are doubled, and the chances of a DUI are even higher. The average cost of a DUI is $13,500 for alcohol and drugs. Keep your high harmless and off the road.


Educate 

Featured News 

CDOT raises awareness about dangers of cannabis-impaired driving

Individuals gathered at the CDOT booth playing trivia game on cannabis and driving

Through a series of Trivial Pursuit-style quizzes and contests, CDOT engaged Mile High Fest attendees with the goal of convincing them to stay off the road when they’ve been consuming cannabis. 

To read the full 420 recap post, click here.

420 Fest is back — and we’re still committed to getting everyone home safely

A graphic that shows the front side of a trivia card. A yellow banner that reads “Cannabis trivia” covers the left side. On the right side of the card, questions read “When was THC, the active compound in cannabis, discovered?”, “Can you receive a DUI for driving high?”, “Can law enforcement tell when you’re high?” and “When was cannabis likely first used as an herbal medicine in Asia?”. The bottom of the card directs readers to visit the website, DriveHighDUI.com.

CDOT put cannabis consumers' knowledge of marijuana and safe driving to the test with a "cannabis quiz.” The interactive game show-style quiz aimed to raise awareness about the risks of driving after consuming cannabis and promote alternative ways to get home safely.

For more about the 420 booth and quiz, click here.

Native Roots releases cannabis-impaired-driving survey results

Green decorative images with text overlay reading "News Break. Native Roots releases industry survey results"

When it comes to cannabis, what are the driving and consumption habits of folks in Colorado? New data released in this guest post authored by Liz Zukowski, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Native Roots Cannabis Co.

Read about the industry survey results by clicking here.

Can I Use CBD and Drive?

CBD oil and dropper. Text overlay reads "CBD and Driving: can I use CBD and drive?"

Products containing CBD are everywhere. Grocery and beauty store shelves are lined with products boasting the benefits of CBD. As CBD popularity grows, you may find yourself wondering, “If I use this, am I safe to drive?” Short answer, yes. Long answer, not necessarily.

For more about CBD and driving, click here.

When you feel different you drive different.

POV shot of hands behind a steering wheel, mountains in the distance. Text overlay reads "Physiological Impairment. When you feel different, you drive different. How cannabis affects drivers."

There’s no doubt cannabis consumption affects the body and the brain. But what do these effects look like, exactly? Discover more about how and why cannabis affects your ability to drive safely.

To learn more about the physiological effects of cannabis, click here.

A designated driver should be sober, not just the “most sober.”

Man driving car, using GPS. Text overlay reads "a designated driver means a sober driver"

Whatever your vice may be, driving high is a trend we have to nip in the “bud.” There is always a better alternative than driving impaired. For our full guide to getting home safe, click here.

For more about a real sober ride, click here.

CDOT takes heartfelt approach to address cannabis-impaired driving

Valentines Day giveaways at Native Roots, stickers read "love you, bud" and "lovers don't let others drive impaired"

A new partnership with Native Roots Cannabis Co. surprised customers with safety valentines to send a message that could save lives. 

For more about the Valentines pop-up event, click here.

Latest DRE training teaches law enforcement to recognize impairment from multiple drugs

Stack of papers, text overlay reads "News Break: Latest DRE training teaches law enforcement to recognize impairment from multiple drugs"

Cannabis, Fentanyl, methamphetamine, alcohol. What do all of these substances have in common? They can impair your ability to drive. Law enforcement officers statewide are undergoing training to better investigate and recognize drug impairment through Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) certification.

For more about this year's DRE course, click here.

What happens when you mix cannabis and alcohol?

Man driving a vehicle, text overlay reads "mixing cannabis and alcohol, do you know the impact?"

Have you ever heard of polyconsumption? It may sound like a complex medical term, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a pretty simple definition: Polyconsumption is “the use of more than one drug, also known as polysubstance use." Essentially, every time you drink a beer and consume cannabis, you are poly-consuming. 

Click here to review the impacts of polyconsumption.

Cocktails and Cannabis

Festive holiday home with text overlay reading "Cocktails and Cannabis, your ultimate guide to getting home safe this holiday season"

The holidays can be a time to max out your belt loops and enjoy a few of the more intoxicating pleasures — eggnog, holiday cocktails, and perhaps a little cannabis. One cocktail plus one hit of flower can put you at risk of a DUI.

Here is CDOT’s ultimate holiday guide to getting home safe

CDOT Presents: Cannabis Knowledge and Safety Quiz

CDOT_CannabisQuizTitleSlide_Page_01.png

How much do you know about cannabis? How about driving after consuming cannabis? Test your knowledge by taking our marijuana trivia and safe driving quiz!

Click here to take the safe driving quiz


Want to know more about cannabis and driving? Ask your budtender.

CDOT_Drugged_LearnBrands_1_new.jpg

CDOT has partnered with Learn Brands, a subscription-based online budtender education platform, to launch an interactive cannabis-impaired driving safety course.

Click here for more on Learn Brands

DUIs are costlier than you think. Here’s the breakdown

CDOT_Drugged_CostofDUI_web_220321.jpg

Drive high, risk a DUI. Curious how much a DUI can cost? Here’s the breakdown.

Click here to know the costs

The History of Cannabis – and your role in its future.

Marijuana history.jpg

Have you ever wondered when marijuana was first used in a “recreational” way? How about who discovered Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)? Here are a few fast facts about the colorful history of cannabis, marijuana, hemp or pot — whatever you choose to call it.

Click here for the full history

CDOT and AAA Colorado quiz cannabis consumers about impaired driving

CDOT_Drugged_NewsBreak_420_Web_220420.jpg

The Colorado Department of Transportation challenged Mile High 420 Festival attendees at Civic Center Park in downtown Denver to a Cannabis Quiz about impaired driving.

Click here to read the release

Mile High 420 Fest is back. So is our goal to get everyone home safe.

CDOT_Drugged_420-Web_220414.jpg

Can a law enforcement officer tell if you’re high? When was cannabis first used recreationally? Can I get a marijuana DUI? So many questions — can you answer them all?

Click here for more on the event

4/20 Safe Driving Pledge: MADD and Native Roots Unite Cannabis Industry and Traffic Safety

Stack of papers, text overlay reads "news break, Safe Driving Pledge Unites Cannabis Industry, MADD and Colorado Safety Agencies"

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and cannabis industry leaders including Native Roots, Wana Brands, Terrapin Care Station, Marijuana Industry Group and kindColorado unite around a safe driving pledge for the 4/20 holiday.

Click here for more on the joint effort

What is micro-dosing and am I safe to drive?

Microdosing_Web

Micro-dosing is a growing trend among cannabis consumers — but using small amounts of cannabis can still lead to impaired driving and a DUI.

Click here for more information on microdosing

Bet you didn’t know: inactive vs. active THC and DUIs

Stack of papers, text overlay reads "news break, combining drugs and alcohol increases risky driving and crashes"

What if I consume cannabis frequently, but I'm not driving impaired? What happens if I get pulled over? This is one of the most common questions we get about cannabis-impaired driving, and it’s for a good reason.

Click here to break down the basics

Industry voices matter in fight against cannabis-impaired driving

Sarah Woodson headshot, text overlay reads "Sarah Woodson, founder, The Color of Cannabis

We've worked hard over the last six years to build relationships with people from the cannabis industry to address impaired driving. One of those people is Sarah Woodson, founder of The Color of Cannabis.

Click here for more on The Color of Cannabis

New state data shows role of impaired driving in record-setting traffic fatalities

Stack of papers, text overlay reads "news break, combining drugs and alcohol increases risky driving and crashes"

CDOT, the Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS), and AAA are pointing to concerning trends in impaired driving that may help explain the increase in traffic deaths in Colorado since 2019.

Click here to learn more on the findings

How high is too high to drive? Cannabis impairment facts.

Car dashboard, text overlay reads "How high is too high to drive? Cannabis impairment facts."

How high is too high to drive? How long does weed stay in your system? Are cannabis-impaired DUIs even real?

Click here for the answer to your questions

Just the Facts: Marijuana-Impaired Driving in Colorado

A data graph showing fatalities in crashes with drivers testing positive for less than 5 nanograms of THC in their system.

You want data to support the claim that driving high is dangerous. We do, too — so here are a few of the latest numbers on marijuana-impaired driving in Colorado.

Click here for all the facts

The dreaded lag time

Clock face on table, text overlay reads "What if you lived with lag?"

When our technology lags it can be frustrating, confusing, and even end in a loss during Fortnite. But what if you lived with lag...in the real world?

Click here for more on lag time

How long should I wait to drive after getting high?

Cannabis in an open container, displayed across a wooden table. A white banner reads “How long should I wait to drive after getting high?”

Consuming cannabis before driving can be dangerous. Wait until you’re sober before getting behind the wheel. How long to wait? See the latest guidelines from CDPHE.

Click here for more on wait times

CDOT continues efforts to eliminate cannabis-impaired driving this year

Cannabis in a rolled joint behind a steering wheel, text overlay reads "Drugged Driving: 2022 Campaign Preview"

As the cannabis-impaired driving campaign kicks off, our goals haven’t changed – we remain committed to educating Coloradans on safe cannabis practices. 

Click here to learn more about our campaign goals.

Mask a budtender: CDOT and MIG introduce cloth masks encouraging cannabis consumers to avoid impaired driving.

Budtender at dispensary wearing mask that reads "I'll be blunt, don't drive high"

The Colorado Department of Transportation and the Marijuana Industry Group (MIG) collaborated this last April to educate consumers about the risks and cost of cannabis-impaired driving with an in-your-face conversation starter — budtender masks.

Click here to learn more about the mask event.

Have You Heard? Stories of Cannabis and Driving.

Marijuana, cannabis, marijuana-impaired driving, driving high, drunk driving, DUI, marijuana DUI, drinking and driving laws, DWI

Listen to the genuine voices and experiences of real Coloradans. CDOT and MADD want you to know that driving high isn't worth the risk. You can be part of the solution.

Click here to learn more about the audio series.

Common Myths About Driving High

Marijuana, cannabis, marijuana-impaired driving, driving high, drunk driving, DUI, marijuana DUI, drinking and driving laws, DWI

Check out our video series addressing some of the most common myths around driving high.

Click here to learn more about the video series.