Traffic Accidents more Frequent in States that Legalized Marijuana

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Medical marijuana has been legal in the state of California since 1996. Many people now have prescriptions to use it and shops have popped up in a variety of locations. Our retirement community was even mentioned once in Time Magazine (in a Joel Stein column) about a decade ago because retirees were growing marijuana in the garden centers and kids from neighboring communities were climbing the fences and stealing the plants. Some of the gardeners went to the homeowner's association board and asked them to hire a guard to protect their marijuana plants. (Really!) The board said no, but told them they could grow their marijuana on their patios and no would bother their plants. A number of people took them up on it. Over the years since then, that arrangement appears to have worked. (I haven't used it myself since college in the 1960s, but don't object to those who enjoy its medicinal values.) However, now California has legalized the recreational use of marijuana. A number of actors like Roseanne Barr have invested in farms and marijuana stores. I'm not sure I am comfortable with the idea that anyone in the state can smoke marijuana for any reason at any time ... especially if they plan to drive a car. I saw on the news this evening that traffic accident rates increased between 4 1/2 and 14 percent in the states which have legalized the recreational use of marijuana. Here in California, where traffic is already a problem, I think this could become a major disaster. However, I am open-minded and interested in hearing what other people have to say.