Feds Launch New Marijuana-Focused Ad Campaign To ‘Challenge The Dangerous Belief’ That People Drive Better While High

OG article by Kyle Jaeger

December 1, 2025

The Department of Transportation and Ad Council debut the harrowing "Tell That to Them" PSA, confronting the myth that marijuana enhances driving via a stark depiction of overconfidence leading to tragedy: a driver boasting improved focus crashes head-on, leaving a child dead and mother comatose. Unveiled Tuesday, this NHTSA-partnered initiative targets young men erroneously viewing cannabis as a safety aid, emphasizing slowed reactions, impaired judgment, and coordination perils.

NHTSA's Jonathan Morrison stresses marijuana's deadly distortions, while Ad Council's Michelle Hillman cites research revealing risk blindness—even perceived betterment—urging the mantra: "If you feel different, you drive different." Departing from prior culturally attuned ads like a joint-smoking cheetah or horror-fleeing stoners, this visceral narrative echoes 1990s anti-drug fervor, possibly nodding to congressional riders blocking pro-use messaging.

Yet science nuances the peril: a recent review finds no linear THC-blood correlation to impairment, challenging per se laws in states; NHTSA's own 2015 and 2023 reports echo this, deeming concentrations poor proxies unlike BAC. DOJ's Frances Scott advocates behavioral tests over metabolites lingering weeks in chronic users. Federally funded studies propose advanced detection for recent use, highlighting chronic vs. novice variances.

This campaign, amid legalization's rise, reignites debate: while impairment's dangers are undeniable—crash risks elevate—evidentiary gaps undermine simplistic proxies, risking unfair policing. By humanizing consequences without demonizing users, it bridges education and empathy, prompting holistic approaches: invest in impairment tech, destigmatize alternatives like rideshares, and pursue rescheduling for clearer research. In balancing caution with complexity, such efforts safeguard roads without reverting to outdated stigmas, steering toward evidence-driven safety in a cannabis-normalizing era.