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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 14 december 2022

U.S. study: Over half of car crash victims had drugs in system

By TOM KRISHER front of me,” he said.
AP Auto Writer The study took place be-
DETROIT (AP) — A large tween September of 2019
study by U.S. highway safe- and July of 2021 at trauma
ty regulators found that centers in Miami and Jack-
more than half the people sonville, Florida; Charlotte,
injured or killed in traffic North Carolina; Baltimore;
crashes had one or more Worcester, Massachusetts;
drugs, or alcohol, in their Iowa City, Iowa; and Sac-
bloodstreams. ramento, California. Medi-
Also, just over 54% of injured cal examiners at four of the
drivers had drugs or alcohol sites also took part.
in their systems, with tetra- The study, which took
hydrocannabinol (THC), an blood-test data from 7,279
active ingredient in mari- road users, also found that
juana, the most prevalent, more than half of injured
followed by alcohol, the pedestrians and just over
study published Tuesday by 43% of injured bicyclists
the National Highway Traf- had a drug in their blood-
fic Safety Administration streams.
found. Of the total number of pa-
Although the study authors tients, 25.1% tested positive
say the results can’t be This long exposure photo shows traffic driving on Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia, Wednesday, for THC, 23.1% for alcohol,
used to gauge drug use May 25, 2022. 10.8% for stimulants and
on the roads nationwide, Associated Press 9.3% for opioids, according
they say the high number ers tested positive for two roadways. Traffic deaths nonprofit Center for Auto to the study.
of drivers, passengers and or more drugs, including have risen dramatically Safety, a watchdog group. The study was set up to
other road users with drugs alcohol,” she said. “The since the start of the pan- “But frankly, I don’t think I’m measure prevalence of
in their systems is concern- use of multiple substances demic to what officials de- that surprised.” drug and alcohol use,
ing. Acting NHTSA Admin- at once can magnify the scribe as crisis levels. And Brooks, who is based in but the numbers can’t be
istrator Ann Carlson said impairing effects of each more states are legalizing Washington, D.C., said he used to show drug use on
the study found that nearly drug.” recreational use of marijua- often sees people drive af- the roads nationwide be-
20% of the drivers tested The study of blood tests na with research just start- ter drinking or smoking can- cause the hospitals were
had blood-alcohol levels of taken at seven level-one ing about the impact on nabis. “There’s not a com- not picked to represent the
0.08% or higher, exceeding trauma centers and four traffic safety. mute that goes by that I entire country, said Amy
the legal limit in every state. medical examiners’ offices “It’s scary to all of us in a don’t smell marijuana on Berning, a NHTSA research
“We also are concerned across the country comes way,” said Michael Brooks, the road, from someone psychologist and one of
that nearly 20% of road us- at a critical time on U.S. executive director of the actively smoking in a car in the study authors.q

DeSantis seeks grand jury investigation of COVID-19 vaccines

By FREIDA FRISARO and physicians, in which data whether they want usually comprised of 18 gal processes that will be
Associated Press some discussion centered to give it or not,” DeSantis people, can investigate able to get more informa-
MIAMI (AP) — Florida Gov. on the fact that pharma- said. “In Florida, it is illegal criminal activity and issue tion and to bring legal ac-
Ron DeSantis said Tuesday ceutical companies have to mislead and misrepre- indictments but also exam- countability to those who
that he plans to petition not provided their data on sent, especially when you ine systemic problems in committed misconduct,”
the state’s Supreme Court the COVID-19 vaccines to are talking about the effi- Florida and make recom- DeSantis said.
to convene a grand jury independent researchers. cacy of a drug.” mendations. Recent such DeSantis also announced
to investigate “any and all “We’ll be able to get the Statewide grand juries, panels have tackled immi- he is creating an entity
wrongdoing” with respect gration issues and school called the a “Public Health
to the COVID-19 vaccines. safety. DeSantis noted that Integrity Committee,”
The Republican governor, Florida recently “got $3.2 which will include many of
who is often mentioned as billion through legal action the physicians and scien-
a possible presidential can- against those responsible tists who participated in the
didate in 2024, gave no for the opioid crisis. So, it’s roundtable on Tuesday.
specifics on what wrong- not like this is something He said that some people
doing the panel would in- that’s unprecedented.” have lost faith in public
vestigate, but suggested it That money came largely health institutions, including
would be in part aimed to through lawsuits and settle- the U.S. Centers for Disease
jogging loose more infor- ments with drug makers, re- Control and Prevention
mation about the vaccines tailers and distributors. over the course of the pan-
and potential harmful side DeSantis said he expects to demic. The governor has
effects. get approval from the Su- frequently spoken against
He made the announce- preme Court for the state- CDC directives, including
ment following a round- wide grand jury to be em- mask and vaccine man-
table with Florida Surgeon Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks on Nov. 19, 2022, in Las Vegas. paneled, likely in the Tam- dates, and filed lawsuits to
General Joseph Ladapo Associated Press pa Bay area. stop many from taking ef-
and a panel of scientists “That will come with le- fect in Florida.q