Driving While Stoned in Virginia

Paul J. Larkin (The Heritage Foundation), Driving While Stoned in Virginia, Am. Crim. L. Rev. Online (2022):

In 2021, Virginia became the first state in the Old South to pass legislation beginning a multi-year process of legalizing the commercial sale of cannabis for recreational use. Unfortunately, the Virginia General Assembly did not adequately address the fact that THC impairs a driver’s ability to handle a vehicle safely. What is worse, a goodly number of individuals drive after using cannabis because they believe that it does not impair their ability to drive safely or actually improves their driving skills, a conclusion that is demonstrable false. Atop that, a large number of people commonly use marijuana and alcohol, and each drug amplifies the effect of the other. Fortunately, the 2021 legislation contained a provision requiring the General Assembly, which begins a new session in January 2022, to repass the 2021 legislation for its commercial legalization provisions to go into effect. The legislature should adopt several remedial measures to reduce the risk of highway crashes, serious injuries, and fatalities.