Driving high on Marijuana is ‘fairly safe’ says study
A new study finds that driving high brings virtually no impairment.
As laws surrounding cannabis become more lax by the day, it lends more avenues for testing the psychoactive substance.
The study , which is the first of its kind to test the effects of cannabis on driving found that it caused virtually no impairment.
The impairment it did cause is likened to that observed by driving under the influence of a legal alcohol limit.
The study was conducted by the University of Iowa and the National Advanced Driving Simulator, and was sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Institute of Drug Abuse, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Smoke and fly
The study tested:
“Once in the simulator—a 1996 Malibu sedan mounted in a 24-feet diameter dome—the drivers were assessed on weaving within the lane, how often the car left the lane, and the speed of the weaving. Drivers with only alcohol in their systems showed impairment in all three areas while those strictly under the influence of vaporized cannabis only demonstrated problems weaving within the lane.”
Naturally, impairment in all areas was present when alcohol and cannabis were mixed, but when cannabis was solely consumed there was no significant driving impairment.
A lot of people would actually argue that driving under the influence of Cannabis makes them drive slower and safer, with heightened awareness.
The crux of the study further highlights that Cannabis is a much safer substance than its legal counterpart, alcohol.
This study, highlighting the effects of driving high, should further add to the worldwide lift of Marijuana’s ban.
SOURCED
