The fight against drug-impaired driving gains new momentum in Long Beach, where the Health Department just banked a hefty $285,000 grant to put the brakes on cannabis-fueled road mayhem, a move that city officials believe will steer the community towards safer driving practices. The grant, doled out by the California Office of Traffic Safety via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, earmarks funds for an array of initiatives designed to combat drug-impaired driving—a hazard that doesn't exclude legal substances like cannabis or certain medications
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson lauded the grant as a vital injection of resources into the city's traffic safety measures, commenting, "It’s important that people get informed, this means, the public should know that driving under the influence includes cannabis, illegal substances and even some medications," according to a press release by the City of Long Beach. The Health Department's GreenlightLB Program will allocate the grant funds towards activities ranging from drug prevention workshops in high schools and colleges to collaborations with dispensaries to educate on responsible cannabis use.
Acting Health Department Director Alison King highlighted that the city's top concern revolves around community safety, noting that "The efforts funded by OTS allow for evidence-based programs to increase awareness and help everyone make informed decisions and eliminate drug-impaired driving in Long Beach," as boasted in the City's press statement. The grant will underwrite several projects, including e-scooter and e-bike safety campaigns, bilingual and bicultural workshops, and peer-to-peer youth initiatives—all aimed at curbing the hazardous trend of drugged driving in the coastal city.
Last year, the GreenlightLB Program reached a benchmark by educating 2,000 community members through various outreaches, including numerous drug-impaired driving presentations and co-hosting the fourth annual Long Beach Safe Streets Awareness Week, not to mention graduating 14 students from its Safe Streets Ambassador program, setting the stage for even greater community engagement in the coming fiscal year between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2024. This grant represents the seventh consecutive year the department has received OTS funding for its drug-impaired driving prevention programs. Barbara Rooney of California's Office of Traffic Safety underscored the perils of motoring, stating, "Getting in a vehicle remains one of the most dangerous things we do," asserting the state's commitment to partnering with entities like the Long Beach Health Department to promote roadway safety.
Aligned with Long Beach's Strategic Plan and the City’s Safe Streets Action Plan, these grant-funded initiatives are also steps towards the broader goal of eliminating traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries in the city by the year 2026, charting a safer course for both motorists and pedestrians on Long Beach streets.
