A story in the Insurance Journal reveals that since 1993, the profile of a drugged driver has changed dramatically. More motorists are now testing positive for prescription drugs, cannabis and multiple drugs, and they’re more likely to be older than 50, the story says, citing a study released in Public Health Reports.
The study finds that the percentage of drugged drivers with three or more drugs in their system nearly doubled from 1993 to 2010, increasing from 11.5 percent to 21.5 percent.
The study also notes trends in drug use associated with age: Almost 60 percent of marijuana-only users were younger than 30 years old, and 39 percent of prescription users were 50 years old or older.
This trend seems to be in line with an overall increase in the use of prescription drugs by Americans, and the older population in general – 90 percent of people ages 65 and older have prescription expenses.
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