ATA raises concerns about marijuana reclassification

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is warning that any reclassification of marijuana as a less-dangerous drug in the U.S. must take into account risks to highway safety.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration recently proposed rescheduling marijuana from a Schedule 1 drug, to Schedule III. The ATA sent a letter to U.S. attorney general Merrick Garland, and other lawmakers raising its concerns.

“ATA believes that it is vitally important that your agencies ensure an ongoing allowance for marijuana testing of safety-sensitive workers to avoid deterioration of highway safety,” wrote ATA senior vice-president of regulatory affairs and safety policy Dan Horvath. 

“If this rulemaking is permitted to move forward without appropriate regulatory review, oversight and deliberation, ATA is concerned that it will severely curtail the ability of motor carriers and other employers of safety-sensitive positions to maintain a safe working environment, threatening the safety of all road users.”

The association noted marijuana and alcohol remain the most detected drugs in impaired driving incidents leading to serious or fatal injuries and said state-level marijuana legalization has been linked to an uptick in crashes.