On the 20th of April (also known as 4/20 – a date associated with cannabis use) many cannabis users will observe a day of increased consumption. This year, April 20th is on a Saturday, which means more impaired drivers are likely to be on the roads.

The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety wants to remind all drivers that If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.

“While celebrating with friends and family, remember to look out for each other. If you feel different, you drive different, so plan for a sober ride home,” said Lauren Stewart, Director of the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety.

Since 2020 cannabinoids have been the most frequently detected drug, other than alcohol, in samples from OUI investigations conducted here in Maine. A review of all OUI/DUID blood samples that were tested in 2023 for the presence of drugs other than alcohol found that 44% of them were positive for cannabinoids.

It doesn’t matter what term you use – high, stoned, or wasted – never get behind the wheel after using an impairing substance. If you think driving while high from cannabis won’t affect you, then you are wrong. It has been proven that cannabis can slow reaction times, impair cognitive performance, and make it more difficult for drivers to keep a steady position in their own lane. So, if you choose to use this 4/20, please plan and have a sober driver.

Please also remind your friends and family to never get in the vehicle with an impaired driver (no matter what the impairing substance is).

By working together, we can save lives and help keep Maine’s roadways safe. Please join us in sharing the lifesaving message: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.

Safe driving on 4/20 begins with responsible choices. Know the facts:

• Even if the drug (including alcohol, cannabis, or other drugs) is legally obtained, impaired driving poses a threat to everyone on the road.
• Do you have a friend who is about to drive while impaired by drugs? Take the keys away and arrange to get them home safely. Don’t worry about offending someone – they’ll thank you later. And you might just save a life.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, do not hesitate to contact your local law enforcement agency. Such agencies have specially trained officers to detect impairment by any substance (alcohol, cannabis, or other drugs).

The Maine Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Highway Safety wants to remind motorists to always drive safely and asks that you help us “weed out” impaired driving on 4/20.