A sedan drifts past. The driver’s window rolls down, unleashing a billowing plume of white smoke into the chill air as they light up, driving with one hand on the wheel.
It’s not tobacco, said Bob Reilly, a rideshare driver from Laurel, who described his daily experience working on Maryland’s highways and neighborhood roads.
“You see it all the time,” Reilly said. “They just got off work and they’re lighting up for the ride home.”
The Baltimore Sun’s analysis of available data shows marijuana use on Maryland roads has doubled since adult use was decriminalized in 2023; however, deaths and arrests involving impaired driving, including drugs and alcohol, stayed level.
“There’s this myth that marijuana is safer than alcohol,” said former Baltimore drug czar and legalization opponent Michael Gimbel. “Nobody wants to take it seriously, and you have these new strains of marijuana that keep getting stronger.”
Driving while high spiked after the state legalized adult use in 2023, from 18% to 39%, according to the 2025 Maryland Cannabis Use Biannual Study, which includes a survey of medical-use patients. Only 60% of respondents said that driving on cannabis is harmful, compared to 99% who said the same about drunk driving. In 2024, 34% admitted to driving after consuming the drug, with 13% saying they drove stoned six or more times in the previous month.
The complacency of users who drive after smoking endangers everyone on the roads, Gimbel said.
The number of drivers charged with driving under the influence of cannabis has not significantly changed since before legalization, said First Sgt. Wayne Koch, who heads the Maryland State Police Chemical Test for Alcohol Unit.
Last year, 722 people charged with driving under the influence in Maryland tested positive for some kind of drug use, said Koch, who also administers the state’s drug evaluation and classification program. Drugged drivers account for 6% of the state’s 12,595 total driving under the influence charges.
In 2024, Koch said, 16 of the 582 drivers killed on state roadways tested positive for alcohol or drugs, though he cautioned that it is possible that more used cannabis but were not tested for it.
The stakes are high, and not just for drivers. According to the Maryland Highway Safety Office’s Zero Deaths Maryland program, impaired driving kills an average of 158 people a year on state roadways and injures 2,743 more. The statistics include pedestrians, bicyclists, passengers and other crash victims who were not behind the wheel.
Gimbel called for better roadside testing for tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the intoxicating ingredient in cannabis, and stronger legal consequences for those who abuse the drug while driving.
The data don’t truly capture how many drivers use marijuana, he said. “It only shows intoxication in those who got arrested, killed or injured in a crash.”
John Lazarou, spokesperson for the Maryland Department of Transportation, also said that the numbers do not tell the whole story.
“Currently, there is no comprehensive data on THC involvement in crashes or highway fatalities,” Lazarou said. “Cannabis tests are rare. Maryland Shock Trauma treats about 180 patients a month from automobile accidents, with 23% of those testing positive for cannabis.”
Cannabis blood tests are also less reliable than breath tests for alcohol, because of the drug’s chemistry. The Maryland Cannabis Administration reports that the larger size of the THC molecule means the drug can stay in the body for weeks, causing false positives on blood tests.
Marijuana on state highways
Stoned passengers can cause a hassle for rideshare drivers like Reilly.
“Several times I saw they were smoking or vaping as I pulled up,” he said. “Then they took a last big hit right before they got in and forget they were supposed to exhale before they closed the door.”
He often smells it on passengers who book his car and sometimes has to clean the smell out, because it’s bad for business. Sober passengers who hailed him afterward have complained and gotten him kicked off rideshare apps twice, though he does not consume.
He’s never had passengers vape or light up in his car, he said. “They’re either pretty chill during the entire ride, or they’re really animated. Either way, they’re always up for a good laugh, and I try to provide that.”
Even after decriminalization, it remains illegal to smoke marijuana in Maryland’s public spaces or in the passenger seat of a car.
The number of passengers or drivers Reilly observed using cannabis shot up after legalization, he said. “There’s been a massive change. I don’t ever look for the welcome sign to DC or Baltimore, I know I’ve arrived by opening the window and taking a breath.”
To spread awareness about the law and marijuana, Lazarou said, Maryland’s Be The Driver campaign includes outreach targeting high-risk populations such as college students. The Department of Transportation also supports annual Impaired Driving Awards to recognize law enforcement agencies and officers who demonstrate excellence in enforcement.
“During holiday periods and peak risk times,” he said, “the Maryland Highway Safety Office funds and supports high-visibility enforcement waves — DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols — to deter impaired driving, including drug impairment.”
Enforcement challenges
Identifying drugged drivers on the road is difficult, Koch said, but officers have several tools to address the challenge.
“When I’m driving and smell the odor of burnt cannabis products, that’s recent use,” Koch said. But unless he witnesses someone smoking, an officer has to look for risky behavior like weaving, inconsistent speed or traffic violations.
“If a police officer has a reason to stop somebody and pull them over,” Koch said, “he can talk to them. He may notice bloodshot, glassy eyes or slurred speech. Then he can do a standardized field sobriety test. He can also offer a breath test.”
Breath tests only measure alcohol, though, and if the test does not confirm the officer’s suspicion, they can call in a certified drug recognition expert.
These specially trained officers know the signs and symptoms of alcohol and other drugs, and can request a blood test. Maryland has 42 participating agencies supporting 180 certified experts, who can respond to stops outside their jurisdiction, Koch said. “It’s a collaborative effort.”
Once a determination is made and a citation issued, the officer can release the driver to a sober individual or arrest them.
Blood tests are always administered in a medical facility, Koch said. Maryland does not have a minimum level of THC in the blood to be considered legally impaired. Test results determine the presence or absence of THC.
Maryland State Police, with Department of Transportation funding, improves experts’ skills through Alcohol Labs, where officers can observe inebriated volunteers. Green Labs similarly provides experience with marijuana’s effects.
Green Labs also builds relationships, Koch said. “The police officer gets a good education on signs of cannabis use, and the consumers are getting a good interaction with law enforcement. We’ve gotten very positive feedback from our participants.”
Koch said he has been properly trained to deal with stoned drivers.
“We are spreading the message,” he said. “If you are going to be consuming, you should not be driving. With modern technology, with Uber and Lyft, there’s no reason for anyone to be consuming THC and get behind the wheel of an automobile.”
Just exhale before you get in, Reilly said.
Have a news tip? Contact Karl Hille at 443-900-7891 or khille@baltsun.com.
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