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According to the survey, eight per cent of current marijuana users believe they drive better after using marijuana than when they are sober. Another 29 per cent of current cannabis users believe their ability to drive is the same after using marijuana as when sober. Twelve per cent of respondents who are current users said they didn’t know if there was any difference between their ability to drive after using marijuana or sober.

The remaining 52 per cent of current marijuana users believe they drive worse after using pot than when sober.

Di Felice calls those results “startling” but says they line up with the view of nearly three quarters of survey respondents that a public education campaign is necessary and those efforts should target young drivers who are more likely to be regular users of pot, she said.

Nearly 75 per cent of respondents either strongly support or somewhat support stricter penalties for drug-impaired drivers.

“Things like fines and suspensions (are) ways of influencing people to recognize not to drive while under the influence of marijuana,” she said.

The poll found that 77 per cent of respondents are concerned about road safety when marijuana is legalized on July 1, 2018.

Di Felice said the survey shows the majority of respondents also believe there will be an increase in the frequency of marijuana-impaired driving.

“I think there is just a general perception, and when you also take a look at the fact that almost 50 per cent of people surveyed have at least tried (marijuana) at least once, people recognize that there is an impact on your cognitive ability and therefore it would impact your ability to drive safely,” she said.