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by Erowid
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While it is widely accepted that cannabis use can slow motor skills and reduce task-attention, increasing in severity with dose, research has shown that cannabis use is less likely to dangerously impair driving abilities than alcohol at similar levels of intoxication. Cannabis intoxication often makes smokers more aware of their impairment, causing them to slow down and become more cautious while also worsening reaction time and attention. Cannabis users often report that driving speeds are experientially 'faster' than normal: driving a given speed feels faster and more dangerous than the same speed does while sober. There have been a number of studies which have looked at this issue and most have found that cannabis smoking does degrade driving performance. There is a little contradictory evidence about whether cannabis in combination with alcohol causes worse impairment than alcohol alone, but so far the data heavily favors the view that the combination substantially increases risks over either alone. The research so far does not provide a clear answer to how much risk of accidents increase with moderate levels of cannabis intoxication, but only confirms that the risks of cannabis-alone impairment are lower than those of alcohol-alone impairment. The following are a collection of summaries & papers which look at the issue of cannabis & driving performance. Misc Reports Executive Summary of Driving Impairment Effects of Alcohol & Cannabis (1994) The influence of cannabis on driving, TRL, Britain (PDF - 1.5MB) UK Lords Report On Cannabis & Driving News & Media Alcohol impairs driving more than marijuana - New Scientist March 2002 |
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Journal References Testing Reckless Drivers for Cocaine and Marijuana Information Marijuana Myth: "Marijuana Is A Major Cause Of Highway Accidents" US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Reports Marijuana And Actual Driving Performance - by Robbe, NHTSA, 1993 Marijuana Use And Driving, by Robbe 1994 Marijuana And Actual Driving Performance - by Robbe, NHTSA, 1999 Marijuana & Alcohol Combined Increase Impairment - NHTSA 1999 |
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PRIMARY RESOURCES Cannabis Campaigner's Guide to Cannabis & Driving Schaffer Library References on Drugs and Driving Cannabis And Road Safety: An Outline Of The Research Studies To Examine The Effects Of Cannabis On Driving Skills And On Actual Driving Performance Law DUI Law & Cannabis PROHIBITION WhiteHouse's Steer Clear of Pot Campaign (2003) |
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| Last Modified - Fri, Mar 31, 2006 | by Erowid |
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