Recent data released by the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) shows that since cannabis legalization came into effect in the state, fatal traffic accidents connected to marijuana use have decreased by 30%. This contradicts concerns raised by critics of legalization who predicted an increase in deadly crashes caused by impaired drivers under the influence of marijuana.
Ohio voters approved recreational cannabis legalization in November 2023 and the law went into effect the following month, allowing for legal possession and use. Retail sales began in August 2024.
The state had 1,067 fatal road accidents last year—the lowest figure in the last five years and a 7% decline from the 1,150 crashes recorded in 2023. Among these, 215 accidents, or about 20%, were linked to marijuana—a drop from 306 crashes (27%) tied to cannabis the previous year.
Operating a vehicle under the influence (OVI) arrests also decreased last year, with 644 fewer cases recorded than in 2023. Marijuana-related OVI arrests specifically saw an 83-case decline in 2024 compared to the prior year. In 2023, law enforcement reported 15,276 OVI arrests, of which around 10% (1,454) involved cannabis. By 2024, the total arrests had dropped to 14,632, and marijuana-related arrests accounted for 1,371 of those—a 6% decrease.
Tragically, 242 people lost their lives in crashes thought to be caused by cannabis use in 2024. However, this is a significant improvement—28% fewer fatalities than the 335 recorded in 2023. It’s also the lowest number of such deaths since 2020. Marijuana-related crashes in general fell as well, with 1,171 incidents reported in 2024—the lowest since 2020 and a 12% decrease from 2023.
Beyond traffic incidents, overall drug arrests by OSHP dropped significantly after marijuana legalization. In 2024, there were 5,458 fewer drug arrests compared to the prior year, representing a 66% decline. Arrests for all drug-related offenses have steadily decreased since 2021, with 12,528 arrests recorded that year. The numbers fell to 8,385 in 2022, 8,215 in 2023, and just 2,758 in 2024.
While OSHP noted that the current data is preliminary and might change as more toxicology results become available, these trends suggest a clear decline in cannabis-related traffic deaths. Reports from state regulators also revealed that legal marijuana sales in the state exceeded $242 million in 2024. According to regulators, 32,486 pounds of plant material and 4,007,127 units of manufactured items have been sold.
These statistics prove that marijuana legalization and the licensing of entities like Curaleaf Holdings Inc. (CSE: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) doesn’t lead to a spike in fatal crashes. Instead, systems are created, such as education campaigns, to encourage responsible use. As a result, communities reap the benefits of this substance while also keeping any attendant risks minimal.
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