OLDER ADULTS DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE: ASSOCIATIONS WITH MARIJUANA USE AND RISK PERCEPTIONS

Abstract

Despite increasing marijuana use among older adults, little research has been done on marijuana’s impact on their driving under the influence (DUI). Using the 2013 to 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data, this study examined the association of older adults’ (N=15,302, aged 50+) self-reported DUI with marijuana use, marijuana use disorder, and marijuana risk perception. All analyses were conducted with Stata/MP 14’s svy function to account for NSDUH’s complex sampling design. The findings show that 10.75% of the 50–64 age group and 4.12% of the 65+ age group reported DUI in the past year. Of all 50+-year olds, 4.0% of those who did not reported DUI reported past-year marijuana use, but 22.9% of those who reported DUI reported marijuana use (p<.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that marijuana users were seven times more likely to report DUI than nonusers controlling for alcohol use disorder, other illicit drug use, and sociodemographic and health/mental health statuses (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=7.01, 95% confidence interval [CI]=5.00–9.80). Among marijuana users, those with marijuana use disorder were more likely than those without the disorder to report DUI, controlling for the same factors (AOR=2.63; 95% CI=1.03–6.68). Perception of moderate/great risk of marijuana use 1–2 times a week decreased the odds of DUI report (AOR=0.71; 95% CI=0.57–0.88). As safe driving is key to prolonging independence in late life, older marijuana users need education on the risk of marijuana use, alone and with other substances, on their driving capacity and age-appropriate treatment for marijuana use disorder.