Stop kidding yourself about driving high in NJ (Opinion)

I’ve heard this my whole life.

“I’m a better driver when I smoke weed. It keeps me focused. Calms me down.”

Guess what, genius? It’s also calming down your reaction time. It’s working on your central nervous system. But I’ve heard it again and again. I’ve heard potheads say marijuana made them a better driver back when weed was illegal and still hear it now that it’s legalized.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m all for the legalization of marijuana. I voted in favor of it as a ballot item. Just. stop. doing. it. then. driving.

And for every stoner longing to be Brad Pitt from “True Romance” who says they drive slower, and better, wrecked on weed, here’s a tragic story for you.

Court documents released this week show a teenager who was 16 at the time of a car crash last year in Salem County tested positive for marijuana and was driving at more than 100 mph, according to authorities. The crash killed his passenger, a 15-year-old student from Shalick High School.

The driver is now charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter and second-degree reckless death by auto while “operating a motor vehicle while unlicensed and in a reckless manner which resulted in a motor vehicle crash while under the influence (marijuana),” according to a document filed by New Jersey State Police.

So it’s just one example of how this whole argument about marijuana keeping you focused and being a better, safer driver is ridiculous. The teen’s car was traveling at 108 mph at the time of the crash. At the scene of the wreck he allegedly told police, “I killed my best friend.”

Marijuana affects you. It’s why you’re smoking it, right? If it didn’t affect you what are you wasting your damn money on? Now to say it affects you in every way except driving is absurd.

It’s legal. Enjoy it. Smoke all you want. Be Brad Pitt. Just don’t get behind the wheel high. You’re better than that.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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